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URBANA,  JANUARY,  1903. 


BULLETIN  NO.  83. 


FEEDS  SUPPLEMENTARY  TO  CORN  FOR 
FATTENING  STEERS. 


BY    HERBERT  W.  MUMFORD,  B.  S.,  PROFESSOR  OF  ANIMAL  HUSBANDRY, 

COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE,  AND  CHIEF  IN  ANIMAL  HUSBANDRY, 

AGRICULTURAL  EXPERIMENT  STATION. 


INTRODUCTION. 

In  considering1  feeds  supplementary  to  corn  for  fattening 
steers,  corn  and  its  stover  are  looked  upon  as  the  basis  of  the  ra- 
tion ;  feeds  other  than  corn  and  its  stover  or  stalks  added  to  the 
ration  are  designated  as  "feeds  supplementary  to  corn."  Supple- 
mentary feeds  may  be  such  roughage  as  timothy,  clover,  alfalfa,  or 
cow  pea  hay  or  they  may  be  concentrates  such  as  linseed  oil  meal, 
cotton  seed  meal,  wheat  bran,  and  blood  meal. 

The  time  has  passed  when  all  kinds  of  cattle  carelessly  fed 
will  return  a  profit  to  the  feeder.  Economical  production  of  beef 
means  the  production  of  the  greatest  number  of  pounds  of  beef  on 
cattle  possessing  quality  enough  to  sell  in  the  open  market  at  prices 

54i 


542  BULLETIN  NO.  83.  {January, 

which  return  to  the  feeder  a  maximum  profit  after  having  taken 
into  account  the  purchase  price  and  the  cost  of  feed.  It  is  needless 
to  say  that  it  is  not  always  the  feeder  who  tops  the  market  who 
secures  the  greatest  profit;  nor  is  it  necessarily  the  one  who  has 
secured  the  greatest  gains  on  his  cattle. 

The  business  of  beef  making-  is  daily  becoming-  more  complex. 
It  involves  rig-ht  buying,  correct  methods  of  feeding1,  and  judg- 
meut  as  to  how  fully  it  pays  to  finish  the  various  grades  of  cattle  ; 
or  in  other  words,  it  involves  intelligent  marketing-. 

OBJECT  OF  THE  EXPERIMENT. 

This  experiment  involves  an  investigation  of  methods  of 
feeding1  and  marketing1.  Cattle  feeding1  experiments  thus  far 
strong-ly  indicate  that  corn  should  be  supplemented  with 
some  nitrogenous  food-stuff  ;  it  may  be  thus  supplemented  by  either 
roughage  or  concentrates.  Investigators  have  given  much  atten- 
tion to  the  subject  of  supplementing  .corn  with  various  concen- 
trated nitrogenous  food-stuffs;  while  relatively  few  have  considered 
the  possibility  of  supplementing  corn  with  roughage  in  such  a  way 
as  to  secure  the  same  advantageous  results  as  when  corn  is  sup- 
plemented with  a  concentrate  such  as  oil  meal. 

The  Experiment  Station  of  the  University  of  Illinois  is  making 
a  thorough  study  of  this  question.  The  results  of  this  experiment 
reported  in  this  bulletin  will  tend  to  emphasize  the  importance  of 
this  subject.  We  proceed  on  the  principle  that  the  farm  on  which 
the  cattle  are  fed  should  produce  as  far  as  possible  the  food-stuffs 
required;  hence,  these  investigations  will  consider  the  results  to  be 
secured  from  the  feeding  of  such  varieties  of  hay  and  other  rough- 
age as  can  be  grown  in  the  corn  belt,  to  determine  what  available 
roughage  or  combination  will  best  supplement  corn  and  require  the 
least  cash  outlay  for  concentrates. 

Whatever  may  be  the  prevailing  opinion  among  cattle  feeders 
as  to  the  value  of  corn  and  clover  hay  as  an  ideal  ration  for  fatten- 
ing steers,  the  most  progressive  feeders  and  breeders  and  those  who 
send  the  best  finished  cattle  to  the  market  agree  that  the  highest 
finish  in  a  given  time  can  not  be  secured  by  adhering  strictly  to 
this  ration  throughout  the  feeding  period.  They  believe  that  the 
effectiveness  of  such  a  ration,  so  far  as  producing  a  quick  and 
complete  finish  is  concerned  is  materially  enhanced  by  the  ad- 
dition of  some  highly  nitrogeneous  concentrate  either  throughout 
or  toward  the  end  of  the  feeding  period.  One  of  the  objects  of  this 
experiment  was  to  secure  additional  data  on  this  important  sub- 
ject. 


1903.]  FEEDS   SUPPLEMENTARY   TO   CORN   FOR   FATTENING   STEERS.  543 

That  the  question  of  the  economy  of  securing-  a  quick  and 
perfect  finish  should  not  be  overlooked ,  the  corn  and  clover 
hay  ration  was  compared  with  a  ration  calculated  to  produce  a 
quicker  finish  or  at  any  rate,  a  ration  that  would  give  to  the  steer 
on  foot  the  appearance  of  being1  better  finished.  The  ration  selected 
for  this  comparison  was  corn,  gluten  meal,  timothy  hay,  and  corn 
stover.  This  ration  was  chosen  because  gluten  meal  is  a  corn  pro- 
duct, and  it  is  obvious  that  every  pound  of  corn  products  that  can 
be  economically  used  in  the  feed  lot  has  a  tendency  to  make  a  bet- 
ter market  for  the  corn  produced  on  Illinois  farms.  Other  things 
being-  equal,  where  the  feeding-  of  a  nitrog-enous  concentrate  is 
practicable  it  is  good  practice  for  the  Illinois  feeder  to  supplement 
corn  with  a  nitrog-enous  concentrate  the  use  of  which  has  a  tenden- 
cy to  enhance  the  value  of  products  grown  on  Illinois  soil.  Such 
concentrates  are  to  be  found  among-  corn  products  and  the  by-pro- 
ducts of  packing-  houses. 

Timothy  hay  was  used  as  part  of  the  roug-hag-e  in  order  to 
demonstrate  that  where  clover  hay  or  some  other  nitrogenous 
roughage  is  not  available  for  feeding,  a  nitrogenous  concentrate 
may  be  so  used  to  supplement  corn  that  the  results  obtained,  from 
the  standpoint  of  the  producer,  will  be  satisfactory. 

That  an  instructive  object  lesson  might  be  furnished  to  show 
the  wastefulness  of  attempting  to  fatten  cattle  on  corn  without 
supplementing  it  with  a  nitrogenous  food-stuff  either  in  the  form 
of  a  concentrate  or  of  a  roughage,  a  ration  of  corn  and  timothy  hay 
was  fed  in  comparison  with  the  others  mentioned.  Since  one  lot  was 
fed  on  corn  and  clover  hay,  the  feeding  of  the  corn  and  timothy 
hay  ration  made  it  possible  to  determine  how  much  more  valuable 
clover  hay  is  than  timothy,  where  fed  with  corn  as  the  grain  part 
of  the  ration. 

That  it  might  be  determined  whether  or  not  the  advantages  of 
certain  rations  used  in  this  experiment  were  real  or  apparent  the 
cattle  were  sold  on  the  Chicago  market  and  the  experiment  termi- 
nated with  a  slaughter  test. 

Since  the  pork  produced  under  ordinary  feeding  conditions  is 
an  all  important  factor,  the  effect  of  the  various  rations  fed  to  the 
steers,  upon  the  pigs  following,  was  carefully  noted. 

The  individuality  of  the  steers  comprising  the  various  lots  also 
received  some  study. 

PLAN  OF  THE  EXPERIMENT. 

Animals  used.  The  steers  used  in  this  experiment  were  pur- 
chased at  the  Union  Stock  Yards,  Chicago,  January  13th,  1902. 


544  BULLETIN  NO.  83.  [January, 

The  order  for  these  steers  had  been  in  the  hands  of  Clay,  Robinson 
&  Co.  for  some  time,  but  owing-  to  the  nature  of  the  order,  the  sea- 
son, and  the  supply  of  feeders  reaching-  the  market,  it  could  not  be 
promptly  filled. 

While  it  was  thoug-ht  advisable  to  secure  fleshy  feeders  of  good 
quality  it  was  soon  found  impossible  to  do  so,  at  any  rate,  on  a 
basis  that  would  leave  a  probable  chance  for  profit  in  feeding1. 

Such  steers  as  were  available  in  the  Chicago  market  at  the 
time  were  purchased  for  use  in  this  experiment.  The  steers  se- 
lected were  natives  and  all  from  the  same  lot  so  that  it  was  known 
that  up  to  the  beginning-  of  the  experiment  they  had  been  similarly 
treated,  an  important  factor  in  live  stock  experimentation  readily 
recognized.  They  were  of  uniformly  good  colors,  dehorned,  very 
thin  in  flesh,  and  common  to  medium  in  quality.  As  indicated, 
while  their  colors  were  not  objectionable,  being-  largely  reds,  sug- 
gesting the  presence  of  Shorthorn  parentage,  the  form  and  general 
type  of  the  steers  was  such  as  to  indicate  that  they  posessed  only  a 
small  portion  of  beef  blood.  If  they  contained  a  high  percent- 
age of  Shorthorn  blood  it  must  have  been  of  the  very  plain- 
est and  most  objectionable  kind.  The  most  conspicuous  faults  of 
these  steers  as  ideal  feeders  were  their  long  legs,  narrow,  some- 
what peaked  backs  and  rumps,  their  coarse  rough  bones,  and  flat 
ribs.  Many  also  lacked  length  and  depth  of  quarter  and  were  de- 
ficient at  the  flanks.  Such  objectionable  characteristics  in  feeding 
cattle  usually  suggest  to  the  experienced  feeder  the  unprofitable- 
ness of  carrying  them  to  a  point  where  they  would  be  prime  in  condi- 
tion. The  very  fact  that  they  were  common  in  quality  as  feeders 
is  sufficient  evidence  that,  no  matter  how  long  they  were  fed,  they 
would  never  possess  prime  quality. 

Steers  of  good  quality  showing  only  a  moderate  amount  of 
flesh  were  at  this  time  selling  for  dressed  beef  at  from  $5.50  to  $6. 00 
per  hundred  weight,  a  figure  that  seemed  at  the  time  almost  pro- 
hibitive in  considering  them  for  feed  lot  purposes. 

The  steers  used  in  this  experiment  averaged  917  pounds  each 
and  cost  $4. 60  per  hundredweight,  Chicago  weights.  The  condition 
and  quality  of  these  steers  was  such  that  it  rendered  the  consider- 
ation of  a  short  feeding  period  impracticable.  While  the  steers 
were  common  in  quality  and,  as  feeders  go,  common  in  condition, 
they  were  a  very  uniform  lot  rendering  it  a  comparatively  easy 
matter  to  separate  them  into  three  groups  which  were  uniform  and 
comparable  as  to  age,  thriftr  condition,  quality,  and  weight. 

A  few  days  after  the  steers  reached  the  University  farm,  and 
after  adding  another  steer  of  similar  weight  and  quality  purchased 


1903.]  FEEDS   SUPPLEMENTARY   TO   CORN   FOR   FATTENING   STEERS.  545 

from  W.C.  Dallenbach  of  Champaign,  they  were  divided  into  three 
lots  of  thirteen  each  on  January  18th.  In  this  division  every  effort 
was  made  to  make  the  lots  entirely  comparable;  in  other  words,  so 
to  divide  the  steers  that  had  they  been  fed  precisely  the  same  and 
sold  on  the  same  market  they  would  have  brought  the  same  price 
per  hundred  weight;  that  they  would  have  made  equally  great  and 
equally  economical  gains;  and,  finally,  that  they  would  have  been 
equally  profitable  from  the  standpoint  of  the  butcher. 

Since  the  steers  were  a  uniform  lot,  this  did  not  appear  to  be 
a  difficult  task  and  the  division  as  made  seemed  to  leave  little 
doubt  in  the  mind  of  the  author  that  the  three  lots  entered  the 
feeding  test  with  equal  opportunities.  Whatever  differences  ap- 
pear, therefore,  during  and  at  the  end  of  the  feeding  period  may 
be  justly  referred  to  the  various  rations  fed. 

To  make  it  possible  to  determine  the  gains  made  by  each  steer 
during  the  feeding  period  and  for  convenience  in  recording  data 
concerning  the  type  and  behavior  of  the  steers  from  time  to  time 
an  ear  label  bearing  a  number  was  inserted  in  the  left  ear  of  each 
steer.  The  steers  in  lot  1  were  given  numbers  from  1  to  13  inclu- 
sive; in  lot  2,  from  14  to  26  inclusive;  and  in  lot  3,  from  27  to  39  in- 
clusive. No.  15  in  lot  2  proved  absolutely  worthless  as  a  feeder  and 
was  accordingly  sold  to  the  butcher,  on  April  5th.  As  it  was  desirable 
to  have  each  lot  contain  the  same  number  of  steers  it  was  thought 
advisable  to  remove  from  each  of  the  other  lots  one  steer  which 
would  be  as  nearly  comparable  with  No.  15  in  lot  2  as  possible. 
Accordingly  No.  8  was  taken  from  lot  1,  and  No.  27  from  lot  3. 
These  steers  were  also  sold  to  the  butcher,  hence,  the  experiment 
was  continued  with  twelve  steers  in  each  lot,  Nos.  8,  15,  and  27 
not  appearing  in  the  notes  on  individual  steers. 

Pigs  were  provided  to  follow  the  steers  to  utilize  what- 
ever undigested  food-stuffs  passed  through  the  steers.  The 
first  lot  of  pigs  followed  the  cattle  during  the  time  they  received 
shelled  corn,  the  second  lot  from  the  time  the  feeding  of  the  shelled 
corn  was  discontinued  and  the  corn  and  cob  meal  feeding  began 
until  the  end  of  the  experiment. 

When  the  plan  of  the  experiment  was  outlined  it  was  believed 
best  to  put  enough  pigs  behind  the  steers  to  consume  such  part  of 
the  droppings  as  would  be  found  available  for  pork  production  and 
limit  the  number  so  that  food-stuffs  other  than  that  contained  in 
the  droppings  of  the  steers  would  be  unnecessary  in  order  to  secure 
satisfactory  gains  on  the  pigs.  It  is  obvious,  therefore,  that  to 
get  the  greatest  benefits  from  the  droppings  and  still  determine  the 
relative  amount  of  pork  that  the  undigested  food  in  the  droppings 


546  BULLETIN  NO.  83.  {January, 

of  each  lot  of  steers  would  make,  the  number  of  pig's  should  be 
kept  as  small  as  possible,  as  under  this  system  a  minimum  amount 
of  food  found  in  the  droppings  is  used  for  the  mere  maintenance 
of  the  animal. 

The  feed  racks  were  so  constructed  and  the  feeding-  done  in  such 
a  manner  that  no  grain  was  available  for  hog-  food  that  had  not 
first  passed  throug-h  the  steers.  Results  of  former  feeding-  experi- 
ments made  it  possible  to  determine  approximately  the  percentage 
of  corn  fed  to  the  steers  that  would  eventually  be  available  in  the 
dropping-s  for  hog-  food.  Careful  computations  convinced  us  that 
seven  was  the  number  of  pigs  for  each  lot  of  steers  best  calculated  to 
serve  all  desired  ends.  As  the  experiment  progressed  the  satisfac- 
tory gains  of  the  pigs  and  the  complete  consumption  of  the  whole 
corn  found  in  the  droppings  indicated  that  the  number  decided 
upon  was  approximately  correct. 

The  first  lot  of  pigs  were  sired  by  a  Duroc- Jersey  boar,  their 
dams  being  Poland-Chinas  and  Chester  Whites.  The  second  lot 
were  decidedly  mixed  in  breeding,  but  the  Duroc- Jersey  blood  pre- 
dominated although  some  of  the  pigs  showed  evidences  of  York- 
shire, Chester  White,  and  Poland-China  blood.  The  first  lot  were 
purchased  at  $5.75  per  hundred  weight,  February  1st,  of  Wm. 
Reynolds  and  H.  W.  Hunsley  of  Champaign  and  the  second  lot  of 
C.  T.  lungerich,  Staley,  Illinois,  and  J.  De Young,  Urbana,  Illi- 
nois. The  first  lot  were  130-pound  thrifty  shotes  of  good  quality, 
but  rather  more  fleshy  than  is  thought  ideal  for  such  uses.  The 
second  lot  were  in  good  thrift.  They  were  bought  off  the  pasture 
weighing  an  average  of  136  pounds.  Those  purchased  of  Mr. 
lungerich  cost  $6.50  per  hundred  weight,  and  those  of  Mr.  De- 
Young,  $6.00  per  hundred  weight.  Both  lots  were  sold  to  T.  J. 
Colvin  of  Urbana,  Illinois,  the  former  lot  at  $6.50  and  the  latter  at 
$7.00  per  hundred  weight. 

SHELTER,  FEED  LOTS  AND  WATER  SUPPLY. 

Beginning  with  the  purchase  of  the  steers  in.  the  Chicago 
Union  Stock  Yards  and  ending  with  their  final  disposition  there, 
the  conditions  surrounding  steers  and  pigs  used  in  this  experiment 
were  made  comparable  in  every  particular  with  average  feed  lot 
conditions  in  Illinois.  Whether  such  conditions  are  as  they  should 
be  is  not  a  subject  for  discussion  here.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  it  is 
the  opinion  of  the  author  that  were  the  average  feed  lot  condi- 
tions brought  up  to  the  standard  of  the  best  practice  of  our  most 
successful  and  progessive  feeders,  it  would  not  be  in  good  taste  for 
any  man  to  criticise  such  conditions  without  being  sure  of  his 


1903.]  FEEDS   SUPPLEMENTARY   TO   CORN    FOR   FATTENING   STEERS.  547 

ground  and  even  then  such  criticism  would  be  valueless  unless  the 
critic  had  something1  better  to  suggest. 

The  feed  lots  prepared  for  this  experiment  were  laid  out  on  an 
old  well  established  blue  grass  sod,  the  whole  sloping  slightly  to 
the  south.  The  soil  was  of  the  deep,  black,  prairie  loam  order  so 
characteristic  of  Central  Illinois.  Each  lot  was  36  x  60  feet,  being 
longest  north  and  south,  with  a  twelve-foot  open  shed  running 
along  the  north  side.  The  feed  lot  to  the  extreme  west  was  further 
protected  by  a  five-foot  tight  board  fence  and  a  single  row  of  trees, 
which  served  as  a  wind-break.  The  lots,  and  more  especially  the 
part  immediately  under  the  sheds  were  frequently  bedded,  an  effort 
being  made  to  make  it  possible  for  the  steers  to  have  access  to  a 
dry,  clean  place  to  lie  down  even  when  the  lots  were  otherwise  very 
muddy.  Aside  from  the  floor  of  the  lots  they  could  not  be  criticised 
from  the  standpoint  of  furnishing  comfort  to  the  steers.  Deep, 
black,  prairie  soil  is  not  suitable,  however,  for  small  feed  lots.  It 
is  the  opinion  of  the  author  that  where  such  soil  only  is  available 
for  feed  lots  it  will  be  economy  to  make  some  provision  for  keeping 
the  cattle  out  of  the  deep  mud  during  bad  weather.  This  subject 
is  receiving  attention  at  the  Illinois  Experiment  Station. 

Water  was  furnished  the  steers  from  the  University  plant  and 
was  stored  in  galvanized  steel  tanks  so  that  the  steers  had  access 
to  fresh,  pure  water  at  all  times  except  when  it  was  withheld,  as 
was  the  rule  just  before  each  weighing.  The  tanks  were  banked 
to  prevent  as  far  as  possible  severe  freezing,  but  no  attempt  was 
made  to  keep  the  water  warm. 

FOOD-STUFFS  AND  RATIONS. 

The  food-stuffs  used  were  shelled  corn,  corn  and  cob  meal,  corn 
meal,  gluten  meal,  clover  hay,  timothy  hay,  and  corn  stover.  The 
prevailing  prices  for  such  food-stuffs  f.  o.  b.  cars,  Champaign,  Illi- 
nois, during  the  winter  season  of  1901-'02  were  as  follows: 

Shelled  corn $2 1 . 43  per  ton  or  6oc  per  bu. 

Corn  meal 23.03 

Corn  and  cob  meal 19. 14 

Corn  stover, shredded  or  cut,  baled 6.50 

Timothy  hay,  baled 14.00 

Clover  hay,  baled n.oo 

Gluten  meal 28 .00 

The  rations  fed  to  the  three  lots  from  February  8th,  to  April 
12th  were  as  follows: 

Lot  i.     Corn  and  clover  hay. 

Lot  2.     Corn,  timothy  hay,  and  corn  stover. 

Lot  3.     Corn,  gluten  meal,  timothy  hay,  and  corn  stover. 


548  BULLETIN   NO.  83.  [January, 

From  April  12th  to  June  14th  the  rations  were  as  follows: 

Lot  I.     Corn  and  cob  meal,  and  clover  hay. 

Lot  2.     Corn  and  cob  meal,  timothy  hay,  and  corn  stover. 

Lot  3.    Corn  and  cob  meal,  gluten  meal,  timothy  hay,  and  corn  stover. 

A  small  percentage  of  the  corn  part  of  the  ration  of  lot  3  was 
corn  meal,  which  was  fed  because  it  could  be  more  thoroughly 
mixed  with  the  gluten  meal,  in  which  form  the  steers  seemed  to 
relish  the  gluten  meal  better  than  when  fed  otherwise. 

The  feeding  of  corn  stover  was  discontinued  on  April  23d. 

PRELIMINARY  FEEDING. 

The  preliminary  feeding  lasted  three  weeks  beginning  with 
January  18th  and  continuing  until  February  8th,  during  which  time 
the  steers  were  gradually  started  on  rations  similar  to  those  subse- 
quently fed  in  the  experiment. 

During  this  preliminary  feeding  a  relatively  large  proportion 
of  the  ration  of  all  the  steers  was  roughage,  a  comparatively  light 
grain  ration  being  fed,  the  latter  only  reaching  ten  pounds  daily 
to  each  steer  at  the  end  of  the  preliminary  feeding  while  the 
roughage  consumed  was  practically  double  that  amount. 
Taking  the  whole  of  the  preliminary  feeding  period  into  ac- 
count the  proportion  of  grain  fed  to  roughage  fed  was  as  1  : 3.24. 
The  average  daily  gain  of  each  steer  for  the  twenty-one  days  was 
2.44  pounds.  The  grain  consumed  per  pound  of  increase  in  live 
weight  was  2.91  pounds  and  of  roughage  9.43  pounds.  On  this 
basis  each  bushel  of  corn  produced  nineteen  pounds  of  gain.  Such 
results  are  to  be  anticipated  when  well  shrunk,  thin  feeding  steers 
are  placed  in  the  feed  lot  and  permitted  the  luxury  of  more  liberal 
feeding. 

METHOD  OF  FEEDING  STEERS. 

The  experiment  proper  began  February  8th  and  from  that  date 
throughout  the  experiment  the  steers  were  fed  grain  and  roughage 
twice  daily,  grain  being  fed  before  the  roughage.  During  the  win- 
ter months,  they  received  their  grain  at  seven  a.  m.  and  at  four 
p.  m.,  the  roughage  being  fed  as  soon  as  the  grain  ration  was 
consumed.  As  the  season  advanced  the  morning  ration  was  fed 
earlier  in  the  day.  About  the  first  of  April  it  seemed  advisable 
either  to  grind  or  to  soak  the  corn  fed  to  the  steers  ;  and  as  ear 
corn  was  available  and  the  grinding  of  the  grain,  cob  and  all, 
promised  to  add  value  to  the  experiment  by  making  it  possible  to 
secure  data  on  the  subject  of  the  influence  of  meal  feeding  to  steers, 
upon  the  pigs  following,  the  latter  course  was  decided  upon.  During- 
the  first  two  weeks  of  April,  therefore,  the  tbree  lots  of  steers  were 


1903.]  FEEDS   SUPPLEMENTARY   TO   CORN  FOR  FATTENING  STEERS.  549 

accustomed  to  receiving-  their  grain  as  meal  rather  than  as  whole 
grain  by  a  gradual  substitution  of  corn  and  cob  meal  for  a  part  of 
the  whole  corn  fed.  From  April  12th  until  May  31st  the  various  lots 
received  all  their  corn  in  the  form  of  corn  and  cob  meal.  During1  the 
last  two  weeks  of  the  experimental  period,  or  between  May  31st 
and  June  14th,  some  corn  meal  was  substituted  for  a  part  of  the 
corn  and  cob  meal. 

-As  has  been  stated  elsewhere  each  steer  in  the  different  lots 
was  getting  an  average  daily  grain  ration  of  ten  pounds  at  the  be- 
ginning- of  the  experiment  proper  on  February  8th.  This  was  gradu- 
ally and  somewhat  rapidly  increased  during  the  next  few  weeks  and 
more  slowly  toward  the  end  until  at  the  termination  of  the  experi- 
ment each  steer  in  lot  1  was  getting  a  daily  grain  ration  of  25.4 
pounds  ;each  steer  in  lot  2,  22.6  pounds,  and  each  steer  in  lot  3,  21.7 
pounds. 

Concerning  the  roughage  part  of  the  ration  it  may  be  stated 
that  lot  1  received  clover  hay  as  the  only  roughage;  however,  tim- 
othy hay  was  fed  to  this  lot  for  two  days  before  shipping  them  to 
market,  as  it  is  believed  that  cattle  so  fed  will  shrink  less,  and  are 
less  liable  to  bloat  in  transit.  This  use  of  timothy  hay  is  not  ma- 
terial since  it  did  not  take  place  until  after  the  final  weights  of 
the  experiment  were  secured.  The  appetites  of  the  steers  fur- 
nished the  basis  for  determining  the  amount  of  clover  hay  fed  from 
day  to  day,  the  steers  being  given  all  they  would  consume  without 
material  waste  during  the  greater  part  of  the  feeding  period;  how- 
ever, as  the  steers  showed  a  tendency  to  be  paunchy  it  was  thought 
advisable  to  restrict  the  amount  of  hay  fed  during  the  latter  part 
of  the  experiment. 

The  quality  of  the  clover  hay  was  much  better  during  the  lat- 
ter than  the  early  part  of  the  experiment.  In  general,  it  may  be 
stated  that  the  quality  of  the  clover  hay  was  good.  Lots  2  and  3 
received  their  roughage  in  the  form  of  timothy  hay  and  corn  stover. 
The  corn  stover  was  shredded  during  the  early  part  of  the  experi- 
ment and  cut  during  the  latter  part.  In  this  experiment  it  could 
not  be  said  that  the  one  method  of  preparing  the  stover  was  to  be 
preferred  to  the  other;  the  steers  did  not  consume  any  considerable 
amount  of  the  coarser  portions  of  the  stalk  in  either  case.  The 
feeding  of  corn  stover  being  discontinued  on  April  23d,  lots  2  and  3 
received  from  that  date  timothy  hay  as  their  only  roughage. 

Both  the  steers  and  the  pig's  were  weighed  every  two  weeks. 
The  initial  weights  were  secured  by  taking  the  average  of  the 
weights  on  February  6th,  7th,  and  8th.  In  securing  the  weights 
at  the  beginning  of  the  experiment  and  all  subsequent  weights, 


550  BULLETIN  NO.  83.  [January, 

the  steers  were  weighed  immediately  after  they  had  consumed 
their  morning  feed  of  grain,  and  before  roughage  was  given  them, 
water  having  been  withheld  since  the  night  before. 

SPRAYING  FOR  LICE. 

Soon  after  the  steers  arrived  at  the  University  farm  it  became 
evident  that  they  were  badly  infested  with  lice.  For  some  time 
unusually  cold  weather  rendered  it  impracticable  to  treat  the 
steers.  The  weather  moderated  sufficiently  so  that  on  March  llth, 
lot  1,  on  March  14th,  lot  2,  and  on  March  19th,  lot  3  were  treated 
with  a  ten  per  cent,  solution  of  kerosene  emulsion.  A  chute  was 
constructed  into  which  a  single  steer  could  be  driven  and  confined 
until  thoroughly  sprayed  with  this  emulsion.  The  time  re- 
quired thus  to  treat  each  steer  varied  from  five  to  ten  minutes.  It 
required  about  six  quarts  of  the  emulsion  to  spray  thoroughly  a 
steer.  The  cost  of  materials  amounted  to  about  one  cent  per 
steer.  This  is  an  efficient  remedy  for  lice  when  it  can  be  conven- 
iently applied. 

As  the  steers  were  weighed  every  two  weeks  and  careful  weigh- 
ings made  of  each  feed  the  steers  received,  data  are  at  hand  with 
which  to  construct  tables  showing  the  relative  amount  of  food  con- 
sumed, together  with  the  actual  gains  in  live  weight,  by  periods, 
throughout  the  experiment.  It  is  believed  that  an  enumeration  of 
such  points  as  are  important  will  better  serve  the  object  of  this 
bulletin  than  a  reproduction  of  these  complicated  tables. 

Following  the  common  practice  of  feeders,  the  maximum 
amount  of  roughage  and  the  minimum  amount  of  grain  was  fed  to 
the  steers  during  the  first  few  weeks.  During  the  progress  of  the 
experiment  this  relation  between  the  amount  of  roughage  and  grain 
fed  was  reversed  so  that  at  the  end  of  the  experiment  the  steers 
were  getting  their  maximum  grain  ration  and  their  minimum 
roughage  ration.  In  order  to  emphasize  how  complete  this  change 
was  it  may  be  stated  that  during  the  first  two  weeks  of  the  experi- 
ment each  steer  in  lot  1  received  a  daily  ration  of  12.47  pounds  grain 
and  18.39  pounds  roughage,  the  proportion  of  grain  to  rough- 
age being  1  :  1.47.  At  the  end  of  the  experiment  each  steer 
in  lot  1  received  an  average  daily  ration  of  25.4  pounds  grain 
and  8  pounds  roughage,  the  proportion  being  as  1  :  .312.  In  con- 
nection with  the  feeding  practice  noted  above,  lot  1  was  not  ma- 
terially different  from  lots  2  and  3. 

It  is  a  well  known  fact  that  roughage  contains  a  much  larger 
percentage  of  cellulose  than  do  most  concentrates.  Since  a  ration 
made  up  quite  largely  of  cellulose  would  naturally  require  greater 


1903.]  FEEDS   SUPPLEMENTARY   TO   CORN  FOR  FATTENING  STEERS.  <55I 

digestive  activity  than  one  containing"  a  relatively  smaller  amount 
of  cellulose,  and  since  in  fattening-  the  animal  and  especially  during 
the  latter  part  of  the  feeding-  period  it  is  the  aim  to  force  the 
animal  up  to  a  point  where  its  dig-estive  capacity  is  utilized  to  the 
best  advantage,  the  feeding  of  a  relatively  small  percentage  of 
roughage  during  the  last  stages  of  fattening  would  appear  to  be 
good  practice.  The  feeding  of  a  ration  made  up  of  a  large  propor- 
tion of  roughage  is  relatively  a  small  ration  and,  since  the  diges- 
tive capacity  of  an  animal  remains  practically  constant,  a  ration 
of  greatest  fattening  efficiency  must  not  be  made  up  too  largely  of 
roughage.  Then  again  steers  are  likely  to  show  too  much  paunchi- 
ness  if  permitted  free  access  to  varieties  of  roughage  of  which  they 
are  particulary  fond,  unless,  as  is  sometimes  the  case,  they  are  get- 
ting an  unusually  heavy  grain  ration. 
CONDITION  OF  FEED  LOTS  AS  AFFECTING  EXTENT  AND  COST  OF  GAINS. 

Within  any  given  lot  of  steers  the  extent  of  the  gains  made 
and  the  relative  economy  of  such  gains  appeared  to  be  more  depend- 
ent upon  the  condition  of  the  feed  lots  and  general  atmospheric 
conditions  than  upon  the  amount  or  nature  of  the  food-stuffs  fed,  or 
upon  the  generally  recognized  important  factor  of  whether  the 
gains  made  are  during  the  early  or  latter  part  of  the  fattening 
period.  To  illustrate,  it  may  be  stated  that  whenever  the  feed 
lots  were  dry  and  the  variations  in  the  weather  but  slight  and  those 
gradual,  there  was  but  very  little  difference  either  in  the  extent  of 
the  gains  made  or  the  economy  of  such  gains  from  period  to  period; 
on  the  other  hand  whenever  the  lots  were  extremely  muddy  and 
the  variations  in  temperature  and  humidity  great  and  sudden,  the 
gains  of  the  steers  were  not  only  much  smaller,  but  were  decidedly 
more  expensive.  This  suggests  that  possibly  we  have  not  attached 
enough  importance  to  providing  fattening  steers  with  comforta- 
ble feed  lots.  Since  the  condition  of  the  lots  in  this  instance  was 
beyond  our  control  any  deductions  that  might  be  made  from  data 
in  hand  relative  to  the  expense  of  gains  during  the  early  and  the 
latter  part  of  the  feeding  period  would  be  valueless. 

After  all  has  been  said  the  reader  should  not  conclude  that  the 
conditions  surrounding  the  steers  in  this  experiment  were  unlike 
the  average  feed  lot  conditions  in  Illinois,  and  while  the  total  gains 
were  not  as  large  as  are  sometimes  reported  they  are  still  credita- 
ble, and  when  the  cost  of  such  gains  is  considered,  they  are  above 
results  usually  obtained.  The  results  are  valuable  as  showing 
what  feeders  may  reasonably  expect  from  feeding  the  products  of 
Illinois  land  to  feeding  cattle  of  the  common  and  medium  grades 
under  average  corn  belt  conditions. 


552 


BULLETIN  NO.  83. 


[January, 


TABLE  i. 
FEED  OF  STEERS  FOR  EIGHTEEN  WEEKS. 


Lot.  I 

Corn, 
clover  hay 

Lot  2 

Corn,  tim- 
othy hay, 
corn  stover 

Lots 
Corn,  tim- 
othy hay, 
corn  stover, 
gluten  meal 

Total  weight  whole  corn  

13187 

12610 

7741  .  5 

Total  weight  corn  meal  

928 

817 

1284.  5 

Total  weight  corn  and  cob  meal  

16171 

15181 

11214 

Total  weight  gluten  meal  

4188  5 

Total  weight  clover  hay  

IOO27 

Total  weight  timothy  hay  

10718 

IIQI7 

Total  weight  corn  stover  

6141 

6362 

Total  weight  dry  matter  ,  

42407 

38271; 

l8lI1 

Total  weight  grain.       N  

30288 

28637 

26450  5 

Total  weight  roughage.         

IQO27 

17081 

18270 

Average  daily  grain  per  steer  

10.  54 

18.37 

17.7 

Average  daily  roughage  per  steer  

12.  06 

10.78 

II  .  57 

Proportion  grain  to  roughage  

I   :  .628 

i  :    .  ^06 

"O/ 

i   :    .601 

Nutritive  ratio  

i   :  9-43 

I   :  13.03 

i   :  9.42 

Table  1  exhibits  the  total  amount,  the  amount  of  the  va- 
rious kinds  of  grain  and  roughage  fed  the  steers,  total  dry  matter, 
average  daily  gain  per  steer,  gain  per  hundred  pounds  dry  matter, 
and  the  amount  of  grain  and  roughage  per  pound  of  gain.  Lots  2 
and  3  received  the  same  kinds,  quality,  and  practically  the  same 
amounts  of  roughage,  viz.,  timothy  hay  and  corn  stover  although 
lot  3  consumed  slightly  more  of  each.  It  is  just  to  conclude,  there- 
fore, that  the  addition  of  gluten  meal  to  a  ration  of  corn,  timothy 
hay,  and  corn  stover  for  steers  increases  their  appetite  for  rough- 
age. This  they  will  consume  with  less  waste  than  where  corn  is 
the  only  concentrate  used. 

It  should  be  noted  that  lot  1  consumed  more  dry  matter  than 
either  lots  2  or  3  and  that  lots  2  and  3  consumed  practically  the 
same  amount  ;  that  lot  1  not  only  consumed  more  food,  but 
made  practically  as  good  use  of  it  as  did  lot  3  and  considerable  bet- 
ter use  of  its  food  than  did  lot  2,  as  is  shown  by  the  gains  per  hun- 
dred pounds  dry  matter  consumed.  See  Table  3. 

The  average  daily  grain  fed  was  in  each  instance  under  twenty 
pounds.  Lot  1  receiving  an  average  of  19.54  pounds;  lot  2,  18.37 
pounds;  and  lot  3,  17.7  pounds  grain  daily.  The  average  daily 
roughage  fed  per  steer  was  to  lot  1,  12.06  pounds  ;  lot  2,  10.78 
pounds;  and  to  lot  3,  11.57  pounds.  It  will  be  seen  from  this  that 
the  greatest  gains  were  secured  when  the  most  roughage  was  fed, 
namely,  in  lot  1 ;  this  should  be  attributed  not  so  much  to  the 
larger  proportion  of  roughage  as  to  its  nature,  since  it  is  a  highly 
nitrogenous  roughage. 

It  is  significant   that   there   was  considerable   waste  of  corn 


1903.]  FEEDS   SUPPLEMENTARY   TO   CORN  FOR  FATTENING   STEERS.  553 

stover  in  attempting-  to  feed  it  along1  with  timothy  hay  as  the 
roughage  for  fattening-  steers.  It  is  believed  that  corn  stover 
could  be  more  economically  fed  with  some  roughage  like  clover 
hay,  rich  in  nitrogen,  than  with  timothy  hay,  conspicuously  poor  in 
nitrogen. 

By  referring  to  the  Table  it  will  be  seen  that  the  nutritive  ratios 
of  the  rations  fed  to  lots  1  and  3  are  very  nearly  alike,  and  that 
the  nutritive  ratio  of  the  ration  fed  to  lot  2  is  very  wide.  The  re- 
sults of  this  and  other  experiments  show  that  where  food-stuffs 
are  so  combined  as  to  form  as  wide  a  nutritive  ratio  as  that  em- 
ployed in  feeding  lot  2,  fattening-  steers  can  not  make  economical 
use  of  them  and  the  chances  are  that  under  avarag-e  conditions  the 
persistent  adherence  to  such  a  ration  would  more  often  result  in 
loss  than  in  profit  to  the  feeder.  The  rations  fed  to  lots  1  and  3 
thoug-h  narrow  as  compared  with  the  rations  fed  lot  2,  are  still 
much  wider  than  those  conforming-  to  standard  rations  which  are 
theoretically  rations  of  greatest  economy. 

Conditions  during-  the  past  season  were  materially  different 
from  average  conditions,  so  far  as  the  relatively  high  cost  of  food- 
stuffs low  in  nitrogen  are  concerned.  Highly  nitrogenous  concen- 
trates were  selling  relatively  cheaper  than  corn.  The  comparative 
cost  of  these  two  classes  of  food-stuffs  in  the  corn  belt  is  such  that 
it  is  seldom  profitable  for  stock-raisers  to  use  a  ration  that  is  theo- 
retically of  greatest  efficiency.  The  most  profitable  ration  there- 
fore, would  appear  to  be  one  where  corn  is  supplemented  with  a 
nitrogenous  roughage,  as  clover  hay,  with  possibly  an  addition  of  a 
limited  amount  of  some  highly  nitrogenous  concentrate. 

GAINS  IN  WEIGHT  OF  PIGS  FOLLOWING  STEERS. 

Very  little  experimental  evidence  is  in  existence  from  which 
to  form  even  an  approximate  estimate  as  to  the  proportion  of 
whole  corn  or  meal  fed  to  the  steers  which,  in  making  up  a  final 
statement  in  regard  to  the  profits  of  the  cattle  feeding  industry, 
might  be  justly  charged  up  to  the  pig  or  pork  produced  and  there 
is  much  less  to  furnish  data  concerning  the  effect  of  various  rations 
fed  to  the  steers,  upon  pigs  following. 

This  experiment  will  throw  some  light  on  these  very  impor- 
tant questions.  As  would  be  expected,  the  pigs  following  all 
the  above  lots  of  steers  did  not  make  satisfactory  gains  during  the 
first  two  weeks,  not  because  there  was  not  sufficient  grain  availa- 
ble for  their  consumption  in  the  droppings,  but  because  they  were 
not  accustomed  to  getting  their  feed  in  this  way.  As  will  be  seen, 
after  this  first  two  weeks'  period  the  pigs  did  make  very  satisfac- 


554  BULLETIN  NO.  83.  [January, 

tory  gains  from  the  droppings  of  the  steers  alone,  so  long-  as  they 
received  their  grain  in  the  form  of  shelled  corn.  Notwithstanding 
the  fact  that  the  number  of  pigs  following  the  various  lots  was 
reduced  from  seven  to  four  when  the  feed  of  the  steers  was  changed 
from  shelled  corn  to  corn  and  cob  meal,  the  pigs  did  not  make 
gains  which  would  be  looked  upon  as  satisfactory.  In  order  to 
secure  the  benefit  of  whatever  undigested  particles  of  food  there 
may  have  been  in  the  droppings  of  the  meal-fed  steers,  pigs  would 
be  obliged  to  consume  a  large  part  of  the  droppings,  but  the  pigs 
following  these  lots  did  not  consume  any  large  part  of  the  drop- 
pings since  much  was  left  untouched.  It  is  very  probable,  there- 
fore, that  more  pigs  following  the  steers  during  the  time  they  re- 
ceived the  meal  ration  would  have  made  equally  good  gains  as  did 
the  four.  This  leads  us  to  the  conclusion  that  it  cannot  be  said 
that  the  amount  of  pork  produced  by  the  pigs  following  the  meal- 
fed  steers  is  the  maximum  amount  that  might  be  produced  from 
the  droppings  of  an  equal  number  of  meal-fed  steers  when  followed 
by  more  pigs  than  were  used  in  this  experiment.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  conclusion  was  reached  that  the  amount  of  pork  pro- 
duced by  the  pigs  following  the  steers  when  receiving  shelled  corn 
is  approximately  the  maximum  amount  that  may  be  expected  un- 
der like  conditions,  since  the  daily  gains  made  by  the  pigs  were 
satisfactory  and  since  the  droppings  of  the  steers  appeared  to  be 
thoroughly  worked  over. 

By  referring  to  Table  2  it  will  be  seen  that  the  same  num- 
ber of  pigs  of  practically  the  same  weight  followed  each  lot  of 
steers,  both  during  the  time  the  steers  received  shelled  corn  and 
when  they  received  corn  and  cob  meal;  that  the  total  gain  of  the 
pigs  following  lot  1  was  542  pounds;  of  pigs  following  lot  2,  482 
pounds,  and  of  pigs  following  lot  3,  422  pounds.  By  this  it  will  be 
seen  that  considerably  the  largest  gains  were  made  by  the  pigs  fol- 
lowing the  steers  getting  a  ration  of  corn  and  clover  hay.  It  is  ap- 
proximately correct  to  attribute  this  extra  gain  to  the  influence  of 
the  clover  hay  in  the  ration  of  the  steers,  for,  notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  the  steers  in  lot  2  did  not  get  as  much  corn  as  the  steers 
in  lot  1,  the  pigs  following  lot  2  undoubtedly  had  as  much  corn  at 
their  disposal  for  pork  production  as  did  the  pigs  in  lot  1,  since  the 
corn  and  clover  hay  ration  fed  to  lot  1  was  more  effective  for  beef 
production,  as  will  be  seen  in  Table  3,  than  the  corn  and  timothy 
hay  ration  fed  to  the  steers  in  lot  2.  The  gain  of  pigs  in  lot  1  was 
greatest;  in  lot  2,  11  per  cent,  less,  and  in  lot  3,  22.1  per  cent,  less 
than  in  lot  1. 

The  conclusion  that  the  clover  hay  in  the  ration  of  lot  1    was 


IQ03-] 


FEEDS  SUPPLEMENTARY  TO  COKN  FOR  FATTENING  STEERS. 


555 


an  advantage  to  the  pigs  following-,  is  further  substantiated  by  the 
fact  that  more  pounds  of  pork  were  produced  per  100  pounds  of 
grain  fed  the  steers  in  lot  1  than  in  either  of  the  other  lots.  This 
statement  holds  true  whether  the  corn  was  fed  as  shelled  corn  or 
as  corn  and  cob  meal. 

Table   2   also   shows   that   the   pigs  following  lot  3  not  only 

TABLE  2. 
GAINS  IN  WEIGHT  OF  PIGS  FOLLOWING  STEERS. 


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595 

32 
•  536 

4 
625 

^35 
.625 

Weight  of  lot  at  beginning 
of  period  

Gain  of  lot  

542 

.616 
3-78 

Average  daily  gain  per  pig. 
Gain  of  pigs  per  100  Ibs. 
ground  grain  fed  to  steers 
Gain  of  pigs  per  100  Ibs. 
whole  grain  fed  to  steers 

Lot  2.—  Steers  fed  corn, 
timothy  hay  corn  stover. 

Number  of  pigs  

7 

9°3 
87 
.888 

7 
990 

ICO 

i.  02 

7 

1090 
no 

I.  12 

7 
1  200 

IOO 
1.02 

4 
570 

.% 

4 

585 
25 
.446 

4 

610 

15 
.267 

4 

625 

3° 
.556 

Weight  of  lot  at  beginning 
of  period  

Gain  of  lot  

482 

Average  daily  gain  per  pig. 
Gain  of  pigs  per  100  Ibs. 
ground  grain  fed   to  steers 
Gain  of  pigs  per  100  Ibs. 
whole  grain  fed  to  steers.  . 

•594 
3.665 

£  v 

•*-•  > 

J2  S 

be  <" 

iS 

3J? 
£j? 

0  ^ 

<u  o 
w.S 

r5 

0    <L> 

-i  a 

. 
Number  of  pigs  

7 

933 
77 
.786 

7 

IOIO 

100 
1  .02 

7 
i  no 

00 

.92 

7 

1  200 
95 
•97 

4 
570 

.^ 

4 

585 
20 

.36 

4 

605 
-10 
-.178 

4 

595 

*35 
.625 

Weight  of  lot  at  beginning 
of  period            

Gain  of  lot  

422 

Average  daily  gain  per  pig. 
Gain  of  pigs  per  100  Ibs. 
ground  gram  fed  to  steers 
Gain  of  pigs  per  100  Ibs. 
whole  grain  fed  to  steers  .... 

•  447 
3-395 

made  the  smallest  total  gain  of  any  of  the  lots,  but  also  that  the 
number  of  pounds  of  pork  produced  by  them  for  each  100  pounds 
grain  fed  the  steers  was  considerably  less,  both  when  the  steers 
were  fed  shelled  corn  and  when  they  were  fed  meal.  This  circum- 
stance should  not  be  passed  without  careful  consideration.  Before 


556  BULLETIN  NO.  83.  [January, 

drawing-  conclusions  as  to  the  reasons  for  this  somewhat  unlocked 
for  condition  it  is  well  to  examine  the  facts  at  hand.     It  should  be 
observed  that  the  steers  in  lot  3  receiving1  corn,  gluten  meal,  timo- 
thy hay,  and  corn  stover  were  fed  a  fewer  number  of  pounds  of  dry 
matter  than  either  of  the  other  lots,  (more  roughage  than  lot  2, 
but  less   grain,   and  both  less  grain  and  less  roughage  than  was 
fed  lot  1).     The  roug-hag-e  parts  of  the  rations  of  lots  2  and  3  were 
practically  the  same,  giuten  meal  being-  the  only  factor  of  differ- 
ence between  the  two  rations  on  the  side  of  the  concentrates  used. 
In  case  exactness  is  required  it  should  be  stated  that  1000  pounds 
more  roug-hage  was  fed  to  lot  3  than  to  lot  2  in  a  feeding-  period  of 
18  weeks   or  .66  of   a  pound  more  per  steer  per  day,  certainly  not 
a  great  difference.     Lot  3  made  more  beef    and    a   total  of  more 
meat  than  lot  2  and  still  lot  3   received  less  corn  and  a  total  of  less 
grain  than  lot  2.      The  very  slig-ht  difference  in  the  amount  of 
roug-hag-e  fed  to  lots  2  and  3  in  no  way  accounts  for  the  wide  varia- 
tion in  the  g-ains  made.     The  corn,  gluten  meal,  timothy  hay,  and 
corn  stover  ration  must  therefore,  be  pronounced   a  much  more  ef- 
fective ration  than  the  corn,  timothy  hay,  and  corn  stover  ration. 
The  amount  of  dry  matter   required   for  each   pound  of  beef 
made  was  practically  equal  in  lots  1  and  3.     This   shows   that  for 
beef  production  the  corn  and  clover  hay  ration  and  the  corn,  glu- 
ten  meal,  timothy  hay,  and  corn  stover  ration  were  practically 
equally  effective.     The  relative  total  amounts,  therefore,  of  food- 
stuffs used  for  beef  production  in  lots  1  and   3  reappearing-  in  the 
dropping-s  of  the  steers  and  therefore  available  for  pork  production 
bear  precisely  the  same  relation  to  each   other  as  do    the  relative 
amounts  of    dry  matter  fed   the  steers    in  each  instance.      The 
least  dig-estible  part  of  the  rations  of  each  lot   was  the  roug-hag-e; 
there  was  more  roug-hag-e  fed  to  lot  1  than  either  to  lot  2  or  lot  3  al- 
thoug-h  the  roug-hag-e  fed  to  lots  2  and  3  was  less  dig-estible  than 
that  fed  to  lot  1.     However,  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  even 
if  there  were  the  same  relative  amounts  of  food  in  the   dropping-s 
of  the  two  lots  of  steers  available  for  pork  production,  the  part  in 
the  droppings  of  lot  1  would  be  more  available  for  the  use  of  the 
pigs  than  that  in  the  droppings  of  lot  3  since  a  large  part   of  it 
would  be  whole  corn.     Whatever  differences  exist  between  the  two 
lots,  so  far  as  pork  production  is  concerned,  other  than  those  which 
would  naturally  arise  from  the  difference  in  the  amount  or  availa- 
bility of    the    food-stuffs    in  the  droppings  must  be    attributed 
either  to  the  beneficial  influence  of  some  constituent  in   the  one 
ration  upon  the  growth  or  fattening  of  the   pigs,  or  to  the  detri- 


IQ03-] 


FEEDS  SUPPLEMENTARY  TO  CORN  FOR  FATTENING  STEERS. 


557 


mental  effect  of  some  constituent  or  combination  of  constituents  in 
the  other,  or  both. 

TABLE  3. 
GAINS  IN  WEIGHTS  OF  STEERS  AND  PIGS  FOR  EIGHTEEN  WEEKS. 


Lot   i. 

Corn,  clover, 
hay. 

Lot  2. 

Corn, 
timothy  hay, 
corn  stover. 

Lot  3. 
Corn, 
timothy  hay, 
gluten  meal, 
corn  stover. 

Total  gain  in  weight  of  steers  

3944  .  5 

2900 

1555.5 

Average  daily  gain  per  steer  

2.51 

1.858 

2.268 

Average  grain  per  pound  gain  

•     7.68 

0.87 

7.44 

Average  roughage  per  pound  gain  

4.82 

5.88 

5.  14 

Average  dry  matter  per  pound  gain  

10.71; 

13.20 

IO.72 

Average  gain  per  100  Ibs.  grain  

i  ^  .  02 

IO.  1^ 

13.44 

Total  gain  in  weight  of  pigs   

^42. 

482 

422 

Pork  produced  per  100  Ibs.  whole  grain.  .  . 
Pork  produced  per  100  Ibs.  ground  grain.  . 
Total  beef  and  pork  produced  

3-78 
.616 

4486  .  5 

3.665 

•594 
3382 

3-395 
•  447 
3Q77  .  5 

Grain  per  pound  meat  

6.75 

8.47 

6.6; 

Roughage  per  pound  meat  

4.24 

5.05 

4.6 

Dry  matter  per  pound  meat  

9-45 

11.32 

9.58 

The  relatively  greater  effectiveness  of  the  corn  and  clover  hay 
ration  as  compared  with  the  corn,  timothy  hay,  and  corn  stover 
ration  for  beef  production  has  been  clearly  shown  by  the  records 
of  this  experiment.  That  the  advantage  of  the  former  ration  was 
due  entirely  to  the  nature  of  the  roughage  fed  is  probable  since 
corn  was  the  concentrate  in  both  instances.  Notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  the  corn  and  clover  hay  ration  was  more  effective  for  beef 
production,  it  appeared  also  to  be  very  favorable  to  pork  produc- 
tion, as  more  pork  was  produced  by  the  pigs  following  lot  1  and 
more  pork  per  pound  of  grain  fed  to  the  steers,  than  in  either  of  the 
other  lots.  The  relatively  good  showing  made  by  the  pigs  follow- 
ing lot  2  can  not  be  attributed  to  any  superiority  of  the  ration  fed 
the  steers  for  pork  production,  but  may  be  justly  referred  to  the 
fact  that  such  ration  was  less  effective  as  a  beef  producing  ration, 
there  naturally  being  more  undigested  and  hence,  more  available 
hog  feed  in  the  droppings.  Care  should  be  taken  not  to  conclude 
that  the  ration  fed  to  lot  2  is  to  be  preferred  even  for  pork  produc- 
tion to  other  rations  used  in  this  experiment  simply  because  more 
pork  was  produced  by  the  pigs  following  this  lot  nor  should  we 
conclude  that  the  ration  fed  to  lot  3  was  one  unfavorable  to  pork 
production  simply  because  less  pork  was  produced  by  the  pigs  fol- 
lowing the  steers  getting  corn,  gluten  meal,  timothy  hay,  and  corn 
stover.  By  far  the  larger  part,  if  not  all,  of  the  apparent  disad- 
vantage of  the  ration  fed  to  lot  3,  as  regards  the  pork  producing 
factor  in  this  experiment,  is  accounted  for  in  the  fact  that  less 
food  was  to  be  found  in  the  droppings  of  steers  in  lot  3  not  only 


558  BULLETIN  NO.  83.  [January 

because  there  was  less  in  absolute  quantity  fed  to  the  steers,  but 
also  because  that  used  was  relatively  more  effective  for  beef  pro- 
duction and  also  that  the  quantity  of  food-stuffs  in  the  droppings 
was  more  available  for  pigs  in  the  droppings  of  lots  1  and  2  than 
in  the  droppings  of  lot  3.  After  all,  the  important  factors  to  be 
considered  from  the  standpoint  of  the  beef  producer  are  the  rela- 
tive total  amounts  of  beef  and  pork  produced  from  a  given  ration, 
the  relative  quality  or  value  of  the  products  and  the  relative  cost 
of  such  rations.  Since  the  principal  object  is  the  production  of 
beef,  a  ration  that  tends  to  produce  good  gains  which  are  largely 
gains  in  beef  rather  than  pork  is  to  be  commended  rather  than 
condemned.  In  examining  the  records  of  this  experiment,  Table 
3,  we  find  that  the  total  amount  of  beef  and  pork  produced 
during  the  eighteen  weeks  of  this  experiment  was  in  lot  1,  4486.5 
pounds,  lot  2,  3382  pounds,  and  lot  3,  3977.5  pounds;  that  the  rel- 
ative amounts  of  food-stuffs  required  for  producing  these  gains  do 
not  bear  the  same  relation  to  each  other  as  do  the  gains,  there  be- 
ing a  slight  advantage  of  the  ration  fed  to  lot  3  over  that  fed  to 
lot  1,  and  a  decided  and  all  important  advantage  over  that  fed  to 
lot  2  by  both  lots  1  and  3.  The  advantage  in  the  economical  pro- 
duction of  meat  exhibited  by  lot  3  over  the  other  lots  is  made  more 
far-reaching  when  we  consider  the  relative  values  of  the  three  lots 
as  sold  in  the  open  market,  lot  1  selling  for  $7.30,  lot  2,  for  $7.00, 
and  lot  3,  for  $7.45  per  hundred  weight. 

It  should  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  under  normal  conditions 
the  ration  fed  to  lot  3  where  corn  was  supplemented  by  the  concen- 
trate, gluten  meal,  has  against  it  its  greater  cost  as  compared  with 
the  ration  fed  lot  1  where  corn  was  supplemented  by  the  rough- 
age, clover  hay,  and  still  further  that  while  clover  hay  would  ma- 
terially add  to  the  fertilizing  value  of  the  manure  made  by  the 
steers  in  lot  1,  gluten  meal  feeding  would  not  add  materially  to 
the  fertilizing  value  of  the  ration  fed  lot  3,  as  compared  with  lot  1. 
Nitrogenous  roughages  are  available  or  should  be  on  every  Illinois 
farm.  Where  they  are  not  it  will  be  economy  to  purchase  nitro- 
genous concentrates,  and  undoubtedly,  to  a  limited  extent  where 
nitrogenous  roughages  are  available. 

MARKET  AND  SLAUGHTER  TESTS. 

The  steers  were  shipped  from  Champaign  on  the  evening  of 
June  22d  thus  making  it  posssible  to  have  them  on  the  market 
Monday  morning,  June  23d. 

Table  4  exhibits  the  weight  of  the  steers  at  Champaign, 
their  live  and  dressed  weight  in  Chicago,  the  per  cent,  of  shrink- 


FEEDS   SUPPLMENTARY   TO   CORN   FOR   FATTENING   STEERS. 


559 


age,  tog-ether  with  the  weights  by  lots  of  the  hides,  caul  fat,  ruffle 
fat,  gut  fat,  gut  ends,  and  loose  fat.  The  total  weight  of  each  of  the 
three  lots  of  steers  at  the  beginning  of  the  experi  ment  was  practically 

TABLE  4. 
SHIPPING  AND  SLAUGHTER  WEIGHTS  OF  STEERS. 


Lot 

.    I. 

Lot 

.  2. 

Lc 

y. 

Total. 

Average. 

Total. 

Average. 

Total. 

Average. 

Weight  at  Champaign 
June  21  

ic  eg; 

I2QQ 

I4C.c;c 

121^ 

IC.17O 

1281 

Weight   at  Chic  ago 
June  23  

KI7O 

1264 

I  2890* 

1  172 

14880 

1  240 

Percentage  of  shrink- 
age 

2.7 

2  18 

3    2 

Shrinkage  per  steer.  . 

35 

41 

41 

Dressed  weight  of  car- 
casses   

8036 

74  c 

7^76* 

671 

8cni 

716 

Percentage  of  carcass 
to  live  weight  

58.9 

C.7.2 

C.7.7 

Weight  of  hides  

916 

3"'V 
76 

780 

71 

OO7 

3f  •  1 

76 

Weight  of  caul  fat 

263 

207 

247 

Weight  of  ruffle  fat.  .  . 

212 

165 

185 

Weight  of  gut  fat  

736 

C7I 

662 

Weight  of  gut  ends.  .  . 

7 
62 

44 

CI 

Weight  of  fat  

127^ 

106 

987 

QO 

II4.C 

O"> 

*In  the  total  weights  of  cattle  on  foot  in  Chicago  as  sold,  of  the  dressed 
beef,  fat  and  hides  of  lot  2,  only  eleven  steers  are  concerned,  while  the  total 
weights  for  lots  I  and  3  and  the  Champaign  weights  of  lot  2  represent  twelve 
steers. 

equal,  the  lightest  weight  lot  being  lot  1  which  was  42  pounds  less 
than  lot  2  and  134  pounds  less  than  lot  3.      As  sold  in  Chicago  lot 

1  was  the  heaviest  of  the  three  being  1 107  pounds  heavier  than  lot 

2  and  290  pounds  heavier  than  lot  3. 

The  shrinkage  in  shipping  of  the  steers  in  lots  2  and  3  were 
practically  the  same  being  an  average  of  41  pounds  per  steer  while  the 
average  shrinkage  per  steer  in  lot  1  was  only  35  pounds.  The  steers 
in  lot  1  dressed  out  58.9  per  cent,  of  beef,  and  8.4  per  cent,  of  fat; 
lot  2,  57.2  per  cent,  dressed  beef  and  7.7  per  cent,  of  fat;  lot  3, 
57.7  per  cent,  of  dressed  beef,  and  7.02  per  cent,  of  fat.  These  fig- 
ures clearly  show  that  lot  1  led  both  in  percentages  of  dressed  beef 
and  fat,  lot  3  coming  second  as  to  percentage  of  dressed  beef  and 
third  as  to  fat;  lot  2  standing  second  as  to  fat  and  third  as  to  per- 
centage of  dressed  beef.  From  the  fact  that  lot  3  dressed  a  higher 
percentage  of  dressed  beef  and  a  lower  percentage  of  fat  than  lot 
2,  and  from  the  fact  that  much  greater  gains  were  secured  upon 
the  steers  in  lot  3  than  in  lot  2,  it  is  evident  that  the  corn,  gluten 
meal,  timothy  hay,  and  corn  stover  ration  was  more  conducive  to 
the  production  of  lean  beef  or  flesh  than  to  the  production  of  fat 
while  the  corn,  timothy  hay,  and  corn  stover  ration  was  more  con- 


560  BULLETIN  NO.  83.  [January, 

ducive  to  the  production  of  internal  fat  than  to  beef  and  especially 
of  lean  beef. 

The  effect  of  the  rations  fed  to  the  three  lots  seems  to  have 
extended  even  to  the  hides  for  the  relative  weights  of  the  hides  of 
the  different  lots  correspond  with  the  live  weights  and  the  weights 
of  dressed  beef.  The  differences  in  the  percentages  of  dressed  beef 
and  fat  of  the  different  lots  though  apparently  small  are  still 
large  enough  to  be  of  great  importance  to  the  packer.  A  few 
pounds  of  dressed  beef  and  a  few  pounds  of  fat  extra  on  every  beast 
slaughtered  by  the  packer  soon  add  up  to  vast  sums  of  money. 

At  this  time  prime  packers  tallow  was  worth  7^4,  cents 
and  green  salted  hides  worth  7^  cents  per  pound.  In  com- 
puting the  value  of  the  hides  and  tallow  an  allowance  was  made 
of  16  per  cent,  for  shrinkage  in  the  weight  of  the  fresh  hide  dur- 
ing the  curing  process  and  of  30  per  cent,  in  the  weight  of  the 
rough  tallow  for  shrinkage  in  rendering.  The  meat  from  lot  1 
was  adjudged  worth  10^  cents  per  pound,  from  lot  2,  10  cents  per 
pound  and  from  lot  3,  10^  cents  per  pound.  As  there  was  no  satis- 
factory method  of  estimating  the  value  of  the  offal  parts  aside  from 
the  fat,  such  as  hearts,  tails,  livers,  blood,  bone  meal,  casings,  tank- 
age and  the  like,  it  was  assumed  that  these  parts  were  of  equal  value 
in  the  three  lots  and  such  differences  as  are  here  noted  are  based 
on  the  values  of  the  dressed  carcass,  hide  and  fat.  This  is  mani- 
festly inaccurate  and  tends  to  exaggerate  the  differences  between 
the  three  lots,  but  is  the  best  that  can  be  done  with  the  data  at 
hand.  The  consideration  of  these  values  for  the  hides  and  tallow, 
however,  do  not  add  greatly  to  accuracy  of  the  computation  as  these 
products  are  certainly  worth  more  per  pound  to  the  packer  than 
country  prepared  products  bring  in  the  market,  a  difference  ac- 
counted for  by  the  superior  condition  of  the  packing  house  pro- 
ducts. Their  opportunities  are  better  for  marketing  and  the  cost 
of  putting  their  products  into  marketable  condition  is  reduced  to 
the  minimum.  The  hides  as  taken  from  the  animals  in  the  pack- 
ing houses  by  experts,  under  the  eyes  of  still  more  expert  and  crit- 
ical inspectors,  are  worth  very  much  more  per  pound  than  indiffer- 
ently prepared  country  hides.  As  much  may  be  said  of  the  fat; 
especially  such  parts  of  it  as  are  utilized  for  the  manufacture  of 
artificial  butter.  The  values  of  the  three  lots  to  the  packers 
were  computed  on  the  basis  of  the  above  figures  and  the  results 
are  as  follows. 

Lot  1  was  worth  $90.50  per  steer;  lot  2,  $76.31  per  steer,  and 
lot  3,  $85.02  per  steer.  The  market  values  of  the  three  lots  were, 
for  lot  1,  $92.28  per  steer,  for  lot  2,  $82.03  per  steer,  and  for  lot  3, 


1903.]  FEEDS   SUPPLEMENTARY   TO   CORN   FOR   FATTENING   STEERS.  561 

$92.38  per  steer.  It  will  be  seen  by  this  that  while  on  the  basis 
of  market  values  of  live  cattle  on  the  day  they  were  sold,  the  pack- 
ers were  obliged  to  pay  ten  cents  more  for  each  steer  in  lot  3  than 
in  lot  1,  each  steer  in  lot  1  was  worth  $5.48  more  to  them  than 
each  steer  in  lot  3.  And  while  each  steer  in  lot  3  cost  $10.35  more 
than  in  lot  2,  the  actual  value  to  the  packer  of  each  steer  in  lot  3 
aside  from  offal  products  other  than  fat  was  only  $8.71  cents  more 
than  in  lot  2.  This  is  conclusive  evidence  that  the  buyer 
of  the  live  cattle  was  practically  correct  in  his  estimate  of  the  rel- 
ative values  to  the  butcher  of  the  steers  in  lots  2  and  3, 
but  that  his  judgement  was  seriously  at  fault  as  to  the  relative  val- 
ues of  lots  1  and  3,  the  former  selling-  on  foot  at  a  disadvantage  as 
compared  with  the  latter,  while  on  the  hooks,  the  carcasses  of  lot 
1  were  pronounced  more  valuable  by  ^  of  a  cent  per  pound  than 
those  in  lot  3.  The  error  in  judgement  of  the  buyer  in  this  in- 
stance was  in  accordance  with  the  universal  opinion  of  good  judges 
as  to  the  relative  merits  of  the  various  lots  of  cattle  on  foot.  Not 
a  buyer  in  the  yards  would  have  been  willing  to  pay  more  per  hun- 
dred weight  for  lot  1  than  for  lot  3.  Experienced  judges  too 
would  have  been  hard  to  find,  who  would  have  even  suspected  that 
the  steers  in  lot  1  would  dress  a  higher  percentage  of  beef  and  fat 
than  the  steers  in  lot  3.  The  steers  in  lot  3  certainly  appeared  to 
be  more  nearly  finished  when  marketed  than  either  of  the  other 
lots,  but  the  slaughter  test  proved  that  as  a  matter  of  fact  lot  1 
was  the  more  nearly  finished. 

This  but  corroborates  the  statement  made  by  the  writer  some- 
time since  that  the  intelligent  feeder  may  know  more  as  to  the  per- 
centage of  beef  and  fat,  and  the  quality  of  the  beef  produced  in  the 
cattle  he  markets  than  does  the  buyer  who  must  base  his  judge- 
ment upon  the  external  appearance  of  the  bullock. 

So  far  as  the  mottling  or  grain  of  the  beef  showed  when  the 
carcasses  were  ribbed,  there  was  no  appreciable  difference  between 
lots  1  and  3.  Lot  3  seemed  to  be  slightly  better  covered  with  fat 
over  the  rib  cut,  but  the  filling  of  the  thighs  and  covering  of  same 
did  not  seem  to  be  superior  to  the  carcasses  in  lot  1. 

The  higher  percentage  of  beef  and  fat  may  be  accounted 
for  in  case  of  the  corn  and  clover  hay  lot  when  we  remember  that 
they  made  greater  gains  throughout  the  feeding  period  than  did 
either  of  the  other  lots.  This  gain  must  have  been  either  a  gain 
in  flesh  or  a  gain  in  fat,  or  both.  It  is  evident  that  it  was  both  as 
shown  by  higher  percentages  of  fat  and  dressed  beef  and  thicker 
flesh. 

At  the  packing  house  it  was  considered  that  all  these  lots  as 


562  BULLETIN  NO.  83.  [January, 

bought  were  worth  the  money  paid.  It  is  seen  too,  that  the 
packer  paid  for  lot  1,  $1.78  per  steer  more  than  the  dressed  beef, 
hide,  and  fat  were  worth  and  that  he  paid  for  lot  2,  $5.72  more 
and  for  lot  3,  $7.36  more  per  steer  than  the  same  parts  were  worth. 
Hence,  it  is  seen  that  lot  3,  the  steers  getting-  corn,  gluten  meal, 
timothy  hay,  and  corn  stover  was  certainly  the  least  profitable  of 
the  three  to  the  packer. 

Assuming  that  lot  3  was  handled  at  a  profit,  it  would  seem 
that  the  packer  could  have  afforded  to  pay  for  lot  1,  $5.58  and  for 
lot  2,  $1.64  more  per  steer  than  the  price  paid.  This  would  have 
brought  lot  1  up  to  $97.86  and  lot  2  up  to  $83.67  per  steer,  as  the 
prices  which  the  packer  could  have  paid  for  these  lots  and  still 
have  handled  them  at  the  same  profit  as  lot  3.  If  lot  3  was  bought 
at  a  profit  at  $7.45  per  hundred  weight,  lot  1  should  have  brought 
$7.70  and  lot  2,  $7.13  per  hundredweight.  These  figures  show 
that  lots  1  and  2  sold  for  at  least  55  and  20  cents  per  hundred 
weight  respectively,  less  than  their  value  because  they  lacked 
those  superficial  evidences  of  a  finished  condition  which  were  pos- 
sessed by  lot  3,  the  gluten  meal  steers. 

These  are  strong  arguements  in  favor  of  the  use  during  the 
finishing  period  of  some  oily  and  nitrogenous  food  which  will  pro- 
duce upon  the  steer  that  bloom  which  sells  the  animal  to  advan- 
tage. 

THE  FINANCIAL  ASPECT  OF  THE  EXPERIMENT. 

It  is  believed  that  many  feeders  will  be  interested  in  the  follow- 
ing financial  statement.  The  prevailing  conditions  during  the 
feeding  period  covered  by  this  experiment  were  manifestly  unusual. 
Grain  and  forage  could  only  be  had  at  prices  seldom  reached  by 
such  products .  All  grades  of  fat  cattle  and  more  especially  the 
choice  and  prime  grades  were  correspondingly  high.  Owing 
largely  to  prevailing  drouth  and  a  prospect  for  a  short  corn  crop, 
stock  cattle  and  feeders  were  in  liberal  supply  during  the  late  sum- 
mer and  early  fall  and  cattle  feeders  in  the  corn  belt  did  not  buy 
liberally  even  though  prices  for  such  stock  were  at  times  very  rea- 
sonable. In  short,  as  conditions  finally  adjusted  themselves  the 
opportunity  was  offered  to  farmers  to  buy  stockers  and  feeders  at  a 
discount,  feed  them  on  high  priced  grain  and  roughage,  and  sell 
them  at  a  premium  when  finished  at  a  price  which  was  corre- 
spondingly high  as  compared  with  the  prices  for  food-stuffs. 

In  submitting  the  financial  statement  of  each  lot  it  will  be  pos- 
sible to  call  attention  to  some  important  facts  connected  with  cattle 
feeding  by  the  use  of  these  rations  in  particular. 


I9°3-]  FEEDS   SUPPLEMENTARY    TO    CORN   FOR  FATTENING   STEERS.  563 

FINANCIAL  STATEMENT. 

LOT  I,  13  STEERS.  DR. 

To  13  Steers  12528  Jb  @  $4.60  per  cwt $  576.29 

To    7  Pigs        908  Ib  @    5.75  per  cwt 52.21 

To    3  Pigs        425  flb  @    6.50  per  cwt 27.63 

To    i  Pig          140  Ib  @    6.00  per  cwt 8.40 

Feed  as  follows: 

To  235.48  bu.  Corn  @  6oc 141.29 

To      9.51  tons  Clover  hay  @$ii 104.61 

To        .46  tons  Corn  meal  @  §23.03 10.59 

To      8.09  tons  Corn  and  cob  meal  ©$19.14 154.84 

Freight  Champaign  to  Chicago,  commission  for  selling  and  other  expenses  30.00 

$1105.86 

Expense  of  feed  in  holding  last  week , 23.81 

Total  expenditures $1129.67 

CR. 

By    i  Steer    1025  fib — 25  Db  @  $4.60  per  cwt $     46.00 

By  12  Steers  15170  Bb  @  $7.30  per  cwt 1107.41 

By    7  Pigs       1355  Db  @  $6.50  per  cwt 88.08 

By    4  Pigs         660  Bb  @  $7.00  per  cwt 46.20 

Total  receipts $1287.69 

1129.61 

Profit $158.02 

Average  profit  per  steer $13.16 

LOT  2.      13  STEERS.  DR. 

To  13  Steers  12570  flb  @  $4.60  per  cwt $578.22 

To    7  pigs        903  Ib  @  $5.75  per  cwt .' 5I-92 

To    3  pigs        430  Ib  @  $6.50  per  cwt 27.95 

To    i  pig          140  flb  @  $6.00  per  cwt 8.40 

Feed  as  follows: 

To  225.7  bu.  corn  @  6oc 1 35.42 

To      5.37  tons  Timothy  hay  @  $14.00 75.18 

To      7.59  tons  Corn  and  cob  meal  @  $19. 1 4 1 45.27 

To        .41  tons  Corn  me  il  @  $23.03 9.44 

To     3.17  tons  Corn  stover  @  $6.50 20.61 

Freight  Champaign  to  Chicago,  commission  for  selling  and  other  expenses      30.00 

$1082.41 

Expense  of  feed  in  holding  last  week 22.03 

Total  expenditures $i  104.44 

CR. 

By  i  Steer  985  flb  -25  flb  @  $4.60  per  cwt $    44.16 

By  12  Steers  14063.04  flb  @  $7.00  per  cwt 984.41 

By  7  Pigs  1300  Db  @  16.50  per  cwt 84.50 

By  4  Pigs  655  Db  @  $7.00  per  cwt 45.85 

Total  receipts $1158.92 

IIQ444 

Profit $54.48 

Average  profit  per  steer $4-45 


564  BULLETIN  NO.  83.  {January, 

LOT  3.       13   STEERS.  DR. 

To     13  Steers  12662  Ib  @  $4.60  per  cwt §  582.45 

To     7  Pigs          933  Ib  @    5.75  per  cwt 53.65 

To      3  Pigs          430  ft  @    6.50  per  cwt 27.95 

To      I  Pig            140  ft  @    6.00  per  cwt 8.40 

Feed  as  follows: 

To  138.27  bu.  corn  @  6oc 82.96 

To      5.96  tons  timothy  hay  @  $14.00 83.44 

To      6.62  tons  corn  and  cob  meal  @  $19.14 126.71 

To        .64  tons  corn  meal  @  $23.03 14.74 

To      3.18  tons  corn  stover  @  $6.50 20.67 

To      2.09  tons  gluten  meal  @  $28.00 58.52 

Freight  Champaign  to  Chicago,  commission  for  selling  and  other  expenses  30.00 

$1089.49 
Expense  of  feed  in  holding  last  week •  22.47 

Total  expenditures $i  1 1 1.96 

CR. 

By    i  Steer  985  ft  -  25  Ib  @  $4.60 $    44.16 

By  12  Steers  14880  Ib  @  $7.45 1 108.56 

By    7  Pigs  1295  ft  @  $6.50 84.18 

By    4  Pigs  630  ft  @  $7.00 44.10 

Total  receipts $1281.00 

1111.96 

Profit $169.04 

Average  profit  per  steer $14.08 

After  the  "filling-  up"  process,  lasting-  some  weeks  and  taking 
into  account  all  expenses  such  as  freight,  commission  and  feed,  it 
is  found  that  the  steers  cost  in  the  feed  lots,  February  8th,  prac- 
tically $4.60  per  hundred  weight,  or  just  what  they  cost  us  in  Chi- 
cago; hence,  the  purchase  price  is  figured  on  the  basis  of  their 
weights  at  the  beginning  of  Ihe  experiment  proper  and  at  $4  60  per 
hundred  weight. 

No  charge  is  made  in  the  financial  statement  for  labor  in 
caring  for  the  steers,  nor  on  the  other  hand  is  any  value  assigned 
to  the  manure  made  by  the  steers.  It  is  believed  that  the  manure 
would  more  than  balance  the  cost  of  labor  involved. 

The  cattle  were  not  full  fed  during  the  season  best  calculated 
to  secure  the  greatest  or  most  economical  gains.  They  were  not  pur- 
chased when  stockers  and  feeders  were  cheapest.  The  same  grade 
of  feeders  could  have  been  bought  earlier  in  the  season  for  at  least 
$1.00  per  hundred  weight  less.  Hay  and  other  roughage  was 
bought  in  the  bale,  hence  more  expensive  than  it  would  otherwise 
have  been.  That  one  of  the  steers  proving  an  unprofitable  feeder 
made  the  sale  at  a  low  price  of  two  other  steers  necessary  simply 
multiplies  by  three  the  loss  wh  ich  would  have  been  sustained  under 
ordinary  feed  lot  conditions. 


1903.]  FEEDS   SUPPLEMENTARY    TO   CORN   FOR   FATTENING  STEERS.  565 

These  facts  are  enumerated  not  in  the  way  of  an  apology  for 
existing-  conditions,  but  rather  that  the  reader  may  not  mis- 
interpret certain  items  appearing-  in  the  financial  statement.  By 
referring-  to  the  statement  it  will  be  seen  that  under  current  mar- 
ket conditions  slightly  the  greatest  profit  was  secured  with  lot  3, 
the  one  getting- corn,  gluten  meal,  timothy  hay,  and  corn  stover;  the 
next  greatest  profit  being-  secured  with  lot  1,  the  lot  getting-  corn 
and  clover  hay.  This  difference  is  so  slight  that  a  repetition  of 
the  same  experiment  even  under  like  market  conditions  for  food- 
stuffs and  fat  cattle  might  show  an  advantag-e  in  favor  of  the  lot 
receiving-  a  ration  of  corn  and  clover  hay.  Ag-ain  it  should  be  said 
that  any  condition  which  would  change  the  relative  prices  for  glu- 
ten  meal,  corn,  timothy  hay  and  clover  hay  prevailing  during-  the 
experiment  would  give  the  advantage  to  the  one  or  the  other  ra- 
tion. It  is  but  fair  to  the  corn  and  clover  hay  ration  to  state  that 
the  prevailing-  price  for  gluten  meal  during-  this  experiment  was 
much  closer  to  the  price  of  corn  than  is  usually  the  case,  and  that 
the  price  at  which  clover  hay  is  figured,  (clover  hay  being  the 
chief  source  of  nitrogen  in  the  ration  for  lot  1)  is  higher  accord- 
ingly than  the  price  at  which  gluten  meal  is  figured.  It  is  alto- 
gether probable  therefore,  that  from  the  financial  stand  point  alone 
the  use  of  a  ration  of  corn  and  clover  hay  would  prove  more  profit- 
able to  the  feeder  than  a  ration  of  corn,  gluten  meal,  timothy  hay, 
and  corn  stover  fed  in  the  proportions  used  in  this  experiment  par- 
ticularly because  clover  hay  can  be  grown  on  the  farm.  The  far- 
mer would  be  obliged  to  pay  the  same  for  gluten  meal  that  was 
paid  in  the  experiment,  but  would  not  have  to  pay  the  same  for 
clover  hay. 

The  financial  statement  but  emphasizes  the  importance  on 
the  one  hand  of  securing  a  finish  on  the  steers  that  is  demanded  in 
the  market,  since  twelve  steers  weighing  but  14880  pounds  sold  on 
the  same  day  in  the  Chicago  market  within  $1. 15  as  much  as  an- 
other twelve  steers  weighing  290  pounds  more.  On  the  other  hand 
notwithstanding  the  fact  that  twelve  steers  sold  for  fifteen  cents 
per  hundred  weight  more  than  another  twelve  steers  the  latter  re- 
turned to  the  feeder  practically  as  great  a  profit,  largely  because 
they  made  greater  and  more  rapid  gains  on  less  expensive  food- 
stuffs. 

The  ideal  ration  should  combine  the  good  features  of  both  the 
rations  fed  to  lots  1  and  3. 

For  purposes  of  reference  in  connection  with  weights  of  indi- 
viduals, their  gains  and  the  character  of  the  dressed  carcasses,  notes 
were  taken  on  each  of  these  animals  at  the  beginning  of  the  exper- 


566 


BULLETIN   NO.  83. 


[January, 


iment,  at  the  termination  of  the  fattening-  and  after  the  slaughter. 

On  March  8th  and  June  21st  the  following-  notes  on  individual 
steers  were  taken  by  E.  B.  Forbes,  an  assistant  in  the  department. 

In  the  preliminary  notes  taken  on  March  8th,  only  such  char- 
acteristics were  noted  as  were  thought  to  have  some  connection, 

TABLE  5. 
INDIVIDUAL  WEIGHTS  OF  STEERS. 


No.  of 
steer. 

Average  weight, 
Mar.  20,  21.  22. 

Average  weight 
June  12  and  14. 

Gain  during 
twelve  weeks. 

Average 
daily  gain. 

Dressed 
weight. 

I 

1041.66 

1252.5 

210.84 

2.51 

~734~ 

2 

1030. 

1207.5 

177-5 

2.  II 

732 

3 

1  020. 

1262.5 

242.5 

2.89 

752 

4 

1136.66 

I3I7.5 

180.84 

2.15 

767 

5 

998.66 

II47-5 

148.84 

1.77 

702 

6    |          1115. 

1340. 

225. 

2.68 

790 

7 

1180. 

1372.5 

192.5 

2.29 

815 

9 

1153-33 

1402.5 

249.17 

2.97 

829 

10 

1180. 

1362.5 

182.5 

2.17 

808 

ii 

1105. 

1217.5 

112.5 

1-34 

705 

12 

1155. 

1357-5 

202.5 

2.41 

814 

13 

973-33 

1212.5 

239.17 

2.85 

670 

14 

1046.66 

1260. 

212.34 

2-53 

695 

16 

1073-33 

1232.5 

159.17 

1.89 

710 

17 

1016.66 

II57-5 

140.84 

1.68 

693 

18 

IIOO. 

1302.5 

202.5 

•    2.41 

744 

19 

988.33 

1187.5 

189.17 

2.25 

665 

20 

1095. 

1237-5 

142.5 

i  .70 

720 

21 

1056.66 

1227.5 

170.84 

2.03 

22 

896.66 

1045. 

148.34 

1-77 

556 

23 

1052. 

1  220. 

168. 

2.OO 

694 

24 

1055. 

1205. 

150. 

1.79 

680 

25 

1041  .66 

1150. 

138.34 

1.65 

678 

26 

1066.66 

1235- 

168.34 

2.OO 

692 

28 

1155. 

1345- 

190. 

2.26 

Sio 

29 

1136.66 

1335- 

198.34 

2.36 

761 

30 

1073-33 

1247-5 

174.17 

2.07 

74o 

31 

I  100. 

1332.5 

232.5 

2-77 

762 

32 

1126.66 

1337-5 

210.84 

2.51 

780 

33 

1058.33 

1275. 

216.67 

2.58 

710 

34 

991.66 

1167.5 

175.84 

2.O9 

653 

35 

986.66 

1225. 

238.34 

2.84 

717 

36 

1043-33 

1232.5 

189.17 

2.25 

37 

996.66 

1210. 

213-34 

2-54 

680 

38 

980. 

II77-5 

197-5 

2-35 

692 

39 

1175- 

1347-5 

172.5 

2.05 

765 

either  direct  or  remote,  with  the  capacity  of  the  steer  as  a  beef 
producer. 

The  notes  taken  after  the  close  of  the  experiment  on  June 
21st,  considered  the  condition  of  the  animal  as  regards  fatness,  the 
style  and  the  degree  of  the  finish  attained. 

After  the  animals  were  slaughtered  in  Chicago  the  carcasses 
were  judged  by  Mr.  J.  E.  Maurer,  of  the  Schwarzsch  ild  &  Sulzberger 
Co.,  and  Mr.  John  Irwin  of  Chicago.  Their  comments  with  some 
slight  additions  constitute  the  notes  on  carcasses. 


1903.]  FEEDS   SUPPLEMENTARY   TO   CORN   FOR   FATTENING  STEERS.  567 

The  following-  are  the  individual   notes  with  numbers  to  cor- 
respond to  those  of  the  animals: 

1.  March  8th.     Red  Shorthorn.     This  animal  is  light;  lacks  breadth  and 
depth,  and  is  coarse-boned  throughout.     Face,  long;  eye,  dull.     Crops,  high  and 
thin;  loin,  low;  tail-head,  high;  lacks  capacity  and  depth  ot  flanks;  chest, narrow; 
shoulder-points,  rough;  quarters,  a  little  light;  skin,  soft  and  of  medium  thickness; 
coat,  thin. 

June  2ist.  Sh  oulders,  bare;  crops,  not  filled;  back,  bare;  hip-bones  and  tail- 
head,  bare;  thin  in  thighs;  far  from  fat. 

2.  March  8th.     Red  Shorthorn  with  touch  of  Jersey  blood.      This   steer    is 
thin-fleshed,  narrow  and  rough-boned,  but   is  fairly   deep.     Face,   long,   marked 
with  black  streaks;  muzzle,  black;  neck,  short;  shoulders,  high;  back,  low;  ribs, 
flat;  crops  and  quarters,  light;  hips,  rough;  coat   not  thick   nor  especially  fine; 
skin,  loose,  elastic,  and  of  medium  thickness;  the  Jersey  back  is  the  poorest   fea- 
ture of  this  steer  and  its  depth  of  body  is  its  best  character. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders,  smooth;  crops,  nearly  full;  back,  smooth;  hips,  nearly 
covered;  rump,  not  well  fleshed;  cod,  beginning  to  fill. 

June  2$th.  Carcass.  A  profitable  cutting  bullock;  very  evenly  and  smoothly 
fatted  with  fairly  thick  rib  and  loin. 

3.  March  8th.     Red  Shorthorn.     Depth  of   body,  good;    breadth,   average; 
head,  rather  small;  neck,  short;  fore  flank  of  average  development;  chest  of  av- 
erage width;  paunch,  capacious;  hind  flank,  fairly  low;  thighs  and   twist,  deep; 
back  and  crops,  smooth;  rump,  rough. 

June  2 1 st.  Shoulders,  crops,  back  and  loin  thickly  covered:  animal  not  very 
fat;  thighs,  strong;  buttock  would  finish  up  deep  and  full. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  Good  medium  bullock;  has  taken  on  seam-fat  well; 
begins  to  be  lumpy. 

4.  March    8th.     Shorthorn;  very   light   yellowish-red,  shows   Jersey  blood; 
breadth, average;  depth,  good;  head,  thick  and   heavy   with   dull  eyes;  muzzle, 
white  and  surrounded  with  dun  and   black   hair;  chest,  rather  wide;  top-line,  a 
little  high  at  shoulder  and  low  at  crops;  hip  bones,  a  little  high   and   prominent; 
fore  flank,  full;  skin,  hard. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders,  rough;  crops,  not  full;  back,  not  covered;  hip-bones, 
prominent;  rump,  not  fleshed. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  An  old  steer,  not  at  all  well  covered;  sunken  in  loin; 
shows  age  in  flinty  character  of  bones. 

5.  March  8th.     Red  Shorthorn  ;  a  fine,  smooth,  nicely  shaped  animal  of  fairly 
good  conformation  and  quality,  but  too  light;  has  good  lines  and  will  make  a  trim 
carcass;    head   shows    breeding;    eyes,  bright;    ears,   small,  neat;  hide   of  me- 
dium thickness,  elastic;  a  nice  handler;  lacks  depth  and  capacity  of  paunch. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders  fairly  well  covered;  crops,  smooth;  hip-bones  and  rump 
a  little  bare;  thighs,  light  below. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  A  chunky  bullock  with  very  little  waste  ;  proportion 
of  plate  and  chuck  is  small. 

6.  March  8th.     Roan  Shorthorn;  an  upstanding  animal;  depth  fair;  breadth, 
deficient,  has  plenty  of  scale;  bone,  strong  and  a  little  rough;  head  and  ears,  large; 
forehead,  broad;  face,  narrow;  muzzle,  broad;  tail-head,   high;  chest,  a  little  nar- 
row; ribs,  flat;  paunch,  capacious;  hide,  thin  and  hard. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders,  bare;  crops  not  full;  back  not  covered;  hip-bones  very 
prominent;  rump,  bare;  cod  only  beginning  to  fill;  a  coarse  growthy  steer. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  A  plain  bullock;  not  heavily  covered;  has  a  little  too 
much  belly. 


568  BULLETIN  NO.  83.  {January, 

7.  March  8th.  Red  Shorthorn  with  possible  touch  of  Hereford  blood,  nar- 
row and  deep  in  front;  broad  and  high  behind;  shoulder,  high;  back  low;  middle 
of  rump,  high;  hip-bones  a  little  high;  brisket,  heavy;  fore  flank,  deficient; 
paunch,  heavy;  hide  thick. 

June  2ist.  Shoulder,  crops  and  back  half-covered;  hip-hones  and  tail-head 
still  a  little  rough;  thighs,  heavy,  but  not  very  deep;  cod,  half  filled. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  A  good  bullock;  a  good  cutter;  fat  well  distributed; 
good  rib  and  loin;  not  wasty. 

9.  March  8th.     White    Shorthorn,    good   feeder,    but    lacks  quality;  head, 
broad,  coarse;  eyes,  mild,  clear,  small;  neck,  a   trifle  too  long;  chest,  full;   back, 
broad,  level;  hips,  smooth;  point  of  shoulder,  rough  and  prominent;  top  of  shoul- 
der, compact;  tail-head,  a  little    high;     body,  deep;    paunch,  capacious;  flank 
and  twist,  too  much  cut  up;  skin,  somewhat  hard,  medium  thickness;  bone,  coarse. 

June  2 ist.  Shoulders  not  smooth;  ribs  still  show;  crops  and  back  not  fully 
covered;  hip  bones  nearly  smooth;  buttock,  heavy;  cod  only  begins  to  fill;  a 
growthy,  muscular  bullock,  but  not  yet  ripe. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  A  good  bullock;  could  have  been  made  choice;  carcass 
well  proportioned  and  evenly  covered. 

10.  March  8th.     Red  Shorthorn;  light  and  narrow,  but  smooth  except  for 
rough  shoulder;  attractive  head,  but  face  too   long;  neck,  long;   fore   and   hind 
flanks,  light;  chest  narrow;   heart-girth  deficient;  body  deep;  paunch,  capacious; 
bone,  fine;  skin,  thin;  coat,  very  fine. 

June  2ist.  Crops  and  back  smooth,  but  not  fat;  hip-bones,  too  prominent; 
rump  tapers  off  behind;  buttock,  meaty;  cod,  half  filled. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  Not  the  best  color;  a  good  medium  steer,  but  thin  and 
lengthy  in  rib  and  loin;  is  a  trifle  staggy. 

11.  March  8th.     Red;    good  depth;   good  top-line,  but  high  in  flanks  and 
twist;  head,  small,  with  Roman  nose;  dun  hair  and  dark  spots  about  muzzle;  has  a 
projecting  lower  jaw;  eyes,  close  together;  fore  ribs,  flat;  paunch,  capacious;  skin, 
medium  thick,  not  very  elastic;  coat,  crisp  like  that  of  a  buffalo. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders,  crops  and  back  just  beginning  to  cover;  ribs  and  hip- 
bones not  well  covered;  thighs,  full  and  deep. 

June  25th.  Care  ass.  A  very  desirable  carcass;  short,  thick,  not  wasty;  color 
good;  carries  just  a  little  too  much  belly. 

12.  March  8th.      Shorthorn  with    some  Hereford  markings;  will   be  a   big 
steer;  heavy  and  deep  in  front;  breadth  only  average;  head,  fine;  neck,  long;  back 
and  crops,  smooth;  tail-head,  smooth  and  low  but  rump  high  in  middle;  quarters, 
fairly  deep  and   full,  but    legs   long;  gaskins,  very  long;  hocks,   very  crooked; 
paunch,  adequate;  skin,  thin;  coat,  short,  soft,  mossy,  deep  red. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders,  crops  and  back  half  fat;  hip-bones  and  tail-head  still 
prominent;  buttock  heavily  fleshed;  animal  looks  thick  fleshed,  but  rough. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  A  bit  rangy;  carcass  fairly  well  covered;  fat  enough  for 
handy  block  beef. 

13.  March  8th.     Red  Shorthorn  with  Hereford  markings  on  forehead,  with- 
ers, feet  and  underline;  average  depth,  breadth  and  smoothness;  face,  long;  eyes, 
clear;  ears,  fine;  neck,  a  trifle  long;  crops,  deficient;  back,  narrow;  tail-head,  high; 
chest,  neither  very  full  nor  deep;  belly,  paunchy;  flank  and  quarters,  medium  de- 
velopment; hide,  hard,  thin;  coat,  short,  thick,  fine  and  mossy 

June  2ist.  Shoulders,  crops  and  back  have  no  covering  of  fat;  tail-head, 
high;  buttock,  fairly  well  filled;  cod,  not  at  all  filled. 

June  25th.     Carcass.     Steer  lias  big  belly  and  very  thin  rib  and  loin. 


I9°3-]  FEEDS   SUPPLEMENTARY   TO   CORN   FOR   FATTENING   STEERS.  569 

14.  March  8th.  Spotted  Shorthorn;  deep  and  compact  with  short  neck,  but 
narrow  in  face,  shoulders,  back  and  loin;  fore-ribs,  fairly  well  sprung;  top-line, 
good  except  for  high'tail-head;  under-line,  fair,  high  behind;  bone,  rather  smooth 
and  fine;  hide  of  average  thickness  and  elasticity. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders  bare;  crops,  half  filled;  back,  hip-bones  and  buttock 
smooth  and  half  fat;  a  very  trim  animal. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  Has  big  belly;  not  evenly  covered  on  rib  and  round, 
especially  the  latter. 

16.  March   8th.     Red  Shorthorn;  face   and  rump  streaked  with  black;  the 
thin-fleshed   sort;  lacks  depth  and  breadth;  neck,  long;  light  thighs  and  flank; 
tail-head,  high;  heart-girth,  deficient;  paunch,  average  size;  hide,  thick. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders  bare;  crops,  full;  back  and  loin  not  fat;  rump  fairly 
fleshy,  but  bones  prominent;  cod,  only  begins  to  fill. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  Good  rib  and  loin,  but  not  very  fat;  not  as  well  covered 
as  some  others. 

17.  March  8th.     Dark-red  Shorthorn;  good  top  and  under-lines;  a  little  nar- 
row, but  has  full  floor  of  chest;  head,  narrow;  neck,  long;  heart-girth,  very  good; 
bone,  hair  and  hide  of  good  quality. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders  and  crops  not  fat;  back,  rump,  and  buttock  smooth,  but 
light;  cod  begins  to  fill;  a  fine  butcher's  steer;  too  fine  for  a  good  feeder. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  Evenly  fat;  chunky;  well  shaped;  a  good  seller;  well 
covered,  fairly  thick  chine  and  fair  sized  kidney. 

18.  March  8th.     Light-red  Shorthorn;  deep,  but  a  little   narrow,  light  and 
upstanding;  good  top-line  and  under-line;  chest  broad  and  deep;   heart-girth  and 
capacity  of  body  above  avarage;  quality  of  bone,  hair  and  hide,  all  that  could  be 
desired. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders  and  crops  half  fat;  back  begins  to  flesh  up;  hip-bones 
and  rump  lightly  fleshed,  but  covering  up. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  A  good  meaty  bullock;  compact  in  rib  and  loin;  even, 
symmetrical  and  well  covered. 

19.  March  8th.     Red  Shorthorn  with  possible  Hereford  admixture;    neck, 
long,   thin;   shoulders,  prominent,  high;  crops  and  loin,    low  and    narrow;   tail- 
head,  hip-bones,   high;   chest,  narrow;  body,  fairly  deep;  paunch,  average  size; 
flank,  high;  hocks,  crooked;  hide,  thin,   not  elastic;  coat,  soft  and  kinky;  a  thin- 
fleshed  animal. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders,  crops  and  back  bare;  hip-bones  prominent;  thighs, 
light;  twist,  badly  cut  up. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  Lacks  thickness  of  rib  and  loin;  is  better  than  No.  14, 
but  not  so  good  as  No.  17. 

20.  March  8th.     Roan  Shorthorn;  a  coarse  growthy,  big-boned  fellow,  good 
depth;  average  breadth;  a  little  narrow  at  shoulders   and  crops;   tail-head  high, 
but  hips  smooth;  brisket,  heavy;  skin  elastic;  hair,  very  fine  and  soft. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders,  crops  and  back  heavily  covered; hip-bones  prominent; 
rump,  rough;  thighs,  heavy;  a  rough,  growthy  animal. 

June  25th.     Carcass.     Evenly  covered  with  fat;  lacks  thickness  of  flesh. 

21.  March  8th.     Light-red  Shorthorn;    breadth,   average;   depth,  deficient; 
head,  neat,  fine,  with  high  poll  and  lump  on  jaw;  neck,  long;  back,  low;  flank, 
high;  twist,  light;  skin  thin,  not  elastic;  hair,  fine. 

June  2ist.     The  light  sort;  long  legs;  high  behind;  does  not  begin  to  be  fat. 
June  25th.     Steer  held  by  State  Board  of  Health  because  of  suspected  lumpy- 
jaw. 


57°  BULLETIN  NO.  83.  {January, 

22.  March  8th.     Dark-red  Shorthorn;  a  little  light,  fine  steer;  body  narrow 
and  lacking  in  depth;  good  top-line;  head,  very  neat  and  trim;  neck,  short;  back- 
bone, high  at  crops;  fore  ribs,  flat;  barrel,  not  well  ribbed  up  to  hip  bones;  thin- 
fleshed;  thighs,  light;  lacks  paunch;    looks  stunted. 

June  2ist.  Very  thin  and  light  in  flesh;  all  bones  show;  back-bone  high  and 
sharp;  ribs  show  plainly;  no  flesh  in  twist;  has  done  poorly. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  A  very  poor  bullock;  is  much  like  No.  14;  has  much 
plate  and  is  very  deficient  in  thickness  of  rib  and  loin;  is  the  least  desirable  car- 
cass in  the  lot. 

23.  March  8th.     Roan  Shorthorn;  average  breadth;  depth,  a  little  deficient; 
ribs,  fairly  well  sprung;  head,  large,    plain;  face  prominent;  hips,  rough;  rump, 
steep;  tail-head,  high;  rather  good  thighs;   paunch,  capacious,   bone   and   hair, 
coarse. 

June  2ist.  Growthy;  half  covered  all  over;  would  in  time  flesh  up  into  a  good 
carcass;  is  fleshing  up  evenly,  but  is  only  half  fat. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  Short,  chunky;  fairly  well  covered  in  rib  and  loin;  is 
shorter  and  heavier  than  No.  24. 

24.  March  8.    Dark-red  Shorthorn;  long,  deep  and  rather  low  set;  head,  neat,, 
broad;  forehead,  square  with  heavy  mat  of  hair;  neck,  trim,  medium  length;  back- 
bone, high  at  crops,  low  at  back,   narrow   at    loin;   fore   ribs,   flat;  heart-girth, 
slightly  deficient;  skin,  thick  and  not  elastic. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders,  crops  and  bac^c  not  heavily  fleshed;  hip-bones  cover- 
ing up;  rump  not  quite  covered,  but  would  finish  smooth;  buttock  heavy,  but  not 
very  deep  and  not  fat;  cod  not  filled. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  A  meaty,  evenly  fatted  bullock,  but  has  no  fat  on  in- 
side of  ribs  as  in  Nos.  ig  and  25. 

25.  March  8th.      Dark-red    Shorthorn  with  one   horn;  a  light,   thin  fellow, 
lacking  depth  and   breadth;  face,  neck  and   legs,  long;  hip-bones,  high;   rump, 
peaked;  buttock,  narrow;  heart-girth,  deficient;  paunch,  deficient;  flank  high. 

June  2ist.  Thin  fleshed  all  over;  does  not  begin  to  be  fat;  has  done  very 
poorly;  very  light  and  high  in  twist;  all  bones  show. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  Much  like  No.  19;  has  a  little  heavier  kidney,  but  is 
very  thin  in  rib  and  loin. 

26.  March  8th.     Roan  Shorthorn;  upstanding,  growthy,  smooth-boned,  nar- 
row at  shoulders  and  crops;  face,  a  bit  long;  jaw,  not  deep;  rump,  peaked;  flank 
and  twist,  high;  depth  of  chest,  good;  heart-girth,  fair;  paunch,  capacious;  skin, 
thin,  not  elastic;  coat  silky;  bone,  strong. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders  and  crops  not  smooth;  hips  nearly  smooth;  thighs 
heavy,  but  twist  high;  cod  half  filled. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  Fairly  thick  rib  and  loin;  is  well  covered,  but  not  as 
good  in  quality  as  some  others. 

28.  March  8th.  Roan  Shorthorn;  good  breadth  throughout;  has  excellent 
colors  and  shows  good  breeding;  head,  just  a  bit  rough;  chest  and  shoulders  very 
broad;  shoulders,  a  little  rough;  brisket,  very  broad,  trim  and  smooth;  crops,  a 
little  slack;  back,  smooth  and  of  good  breadth;  paunch,  capacious;  rump  does 
not  carry  width  to  tail-head;  thighs,  thick  and  meaty;  twist,  full,  but  not  especial- 
ly low;  bone,  medium;  coat  and  hide  constitute  this  steer  an  elegant  handler. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders  not  yet  smooth;  crops,  nearly  full;  back  thickly  cov- 
ered; inclines  to  wrinkles;  hips  nearly  covered;  buttock,  fleshy;  a  broad,  thick- 
fleshed,  paunchy  steer. 

June  25th.     Carcass.    A  good  profitable  carcass;  heavy  rib  and  loin;  charac- 


1903.]  FEEDS   SUPPLEMENTARY   TO   CORN   FOR   FATTENING   STEERS.  571 

terized  by  thickness  of  flesh  and  tendency  to  be  lumpy;  not  as  good  as  No.  29. 

29.  March  8th.      Red  Shorthorn;  a  narrow  strong-boned,  flat-ribbed  steer; 
head,  broad  with  Roman  nose;  withers  and   crops,  high;  rump,  sloping;   tlrghs^ 
full;  paunch,  ca  pacious;  barrel,  not  closely  ribbed  up  to  hip-bones;   hind   flank 
rather  low. 

June  2 ist.  Shoulders  and  crops  half  fat;  back  is  taking  on  flesh,  but  hip- 
bones are  prominent;  thighs,  heavy;  twist,  deep,  a  paunchy  steer. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  A  very  desirable  carcass;  very  thick  rib  and  loin;  a 
choice  bullock. 

30.  March  8th.     Dark-roan  Shorthorn;   a   leggy  steer,   lacking   in  breadth 
throughout  and  depth  behind;  has  plenty  of  depth   through  brisket,  but  lacks 
paunch  and  development  of  hind  parts  though  he  has  good  crops  and  back; bone, 
coarse;  hide  hard. 

June  2ist.  D  eep  in  front;  bare  shoulders,  crops,  back  and  hip-bones;  light 
behind;  cod  only  begins  to  fill. 

June  2$th.  Carcass.  A  rough,  undesirable  steer;  is  gobby  and  not  well  covered. 

31.  March  8th.     Red  Shorthorn  with  white  spots;  a  very  deep  steer  in  pro- 
portion to  length;  low-set,  narrow  and  flat-ribbed;  head,  long,  narrow;  ears  small; 
back  and  rump,  narrow;  paunch  very  large;  bone  and  hide  medium;  coat,  fine. 

June2ist:  Shoulders  nearly  smooth;  crops,  nearly  full;  back  and  rump 
rather  bare  though  smooth;  buttock,  fat;  twist,  well  filled;  cod,  nearly  full. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  Ideal  shape;  fine  color;  a  good  handy  bullock,  but  has 
a  little  too  much  plate. 

32.  March  8th.    Light-red  with  white  spots,  shows  Jersey  blood;  broad;  aver- 
age depth;  head,  heavy;  back  straight;  tail-head,  high;  not  square  behind;  cuts  in 
below  buttock;  hips,  rough;  breadth  of  chest,  heart-girth,  fairly  good:  has  plenty 
of  capacity  and  is  thick-fleshed. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders  rough;  crops  and  back  are  covering  up  smoothly,  but 
are  not  thickly  covered;  twist,  high;  cod  begins  to  fill. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  Steer  is  heavy  in  chuck  and  looks  staggy;  is  light  in 
round  and  not  good  in  color. 

33.  March  8th.     Dark-roan    Shorthorn;    deep,  but  narrow  in  front  though 
floor  of  c  jest  is  fairly  wide;  broad,  but  high  and  light  behind;  not  closely  ribbed 
up  to  hip-bones;  crops,  fair;  paunch,  capacious;  heart-girth,  good. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders  nearly  smooth;  crops,  full;  back,  smooth;  hips,  nearly 
covered;  loin  not  covered;  twist  not  full. 

June  25th.    Carcass.    Just  a  medium  bullock;  loin  not    thick. 

34.  March  8th.     Red  and  white  Shorthorn;  lacks  depth  and  breadth;  is  light- 
smooth,  thin-fleshed  and  leggy;  head,  hair,  hide  and  bone  medium  to  fine;  back 
bone,  high  and  sharp,  high  in  middle  of  rump;  chest  and  paunch  lack  depth. 

June  2ist.  Has  taken  on  some  flesh,  but  is  thin  all  over;  back  bare;  twist  not 
filled. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  Just  a  medium  steer  with  no  particularly  bad  points; 
not  heavily  covered  in  rib  and  loin. 

35.  March  8th.     Reddish-yellow  and  white  animal  with  Jersey  appearance; 
narrow,  lacks  depth;  the  thin-fleshed  sort;  medium  sized  head;  puffy,  watery  eyes; 
much  dewlap;  crops  slack;  fore  ribs,  flat;  high  dairy  hook-points;  average  heart" 
girth  and  paunch. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders  prominent;  crops  begin  to  be  full;back  and  loin  getting 
pretty  well  covered;  hip-bones  very  prominent;  twist,  high. 
June  25th.     Carcass.     Just  an  average  steer. 


572  BULLETIN  NO.  83.  \January, 

36.  March  8th.     Red    Shorthorn;    high,   narrow,  gaunt,   light,  coarse-boned; 
hind  pasterns  knuckle  over  badly;  head,  fair;  fore  ribs,  flat;  paunch  lacks  capaci- 
ty; flank,  high;  thighs  and  twist  light  and  high;  skin,  fine. 

June  2ist.  Shoulders,  rough;  crops,  loin,  hips  and  rump  bare;  twist  not  at  all 
filled  out. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  An  undesirable  carcass;  did  not  fatten  very  well;  has 
not  much  loin;  is  a  "mean"  one,  on  the  "rain-back"  order. 

37.  March  8th.     White  Shorthorn;    average  depth;  lacks  breadth  of  back, 
light  behind;  head  and  legs,  coarse;  good  top-line;  chest  of  average  breadth;  has 
plenty  of  paunch;  coat,  coarse;  skin,  pliable. 

June  2ist.  Crops  filling  up;  back  loin  and  hips  pretty  well  covered;  twist  not 
filled. 

June  25th.    Carcass.     A  tidy,  evenly  covered,  good  cutting  buttock. 

38.  March  8th.     Dark-red  Shorthorn:  a  light  steer,  but  rather  well  formed; 
just  average  depth  and  breadth  and  length  of  leg;  head,  refined;  ears,  small,  fine; 
nose,  prominent;  rump,  tapers;   flank,  low;  quarters,  deep;  bone,  fine   enough; 
paunch  and  heart-girth  of  average  development.      • -n -'.-•• 

June2ist.  Is  smoothing  up  nicely  all  over,  but  is. not  yet  thickly  covered 
with  fat. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  A  good  loin,  but  would  get  gobby;  is  a  little  on  the 
rough  order. 

39.  March  8th.      Light-red  Shorthorn;  depth  and    breadth,  average;  head, 
large,  but  well  proportioned,  rather  smooth;  top-line  straight,  but  tail-head  and 
hips  a  little  high;  chest  and  heart-girth  just  fair;  legs,  medium  long;  paunch,  fairly 
capacious;  coat  and  skin,  fine  and  soft;  bone  medium.  .  . 

June  2ist.  Shoulder  would  cover  smoothly,  but  animal  is  only  half  fat; 
crops  and  back,  smooth,  but  not  thickly  covered;  loin,  bare  of  fat;  twist,  high. 

June  25th.  Carcass.  This  is  a  rangy  steer;  is  long  and  light;  never  would  be 
good;  is  gobby;  has  big  belly  and  long  shanks. 

Throughout  the  experiment  the  good  spirits  of  lot  1,  the 
sluggish  disposition  of  lot  2  and  the  capricious  appetite  of  lot  3 
were  noticeable. 

By  consulting  Table  5  it  is  seen  that  No.  11,  reported  as 
being  off  feed  four  times  made  the  poorest  gain  in  lot  1.  Turning 
to  the  notes  on  individuals  we  see  that  the  steer  had  a  capacious 
paunch,  but  was  an  ill-shaped  animal,  slack  in  the  heart-girth,  and 
with  evidences  of  poor  breeding.  It  is  worth  while  to  note  in  this 
connection  that  a  capacious  paunch  without  other  evidences  of  beef 
form  is  of  little  consequence  as  indicating  a  capacity  for  beef  pro- 
duction. 

No.  24,  reported  as  off  feed  eight  times  was  one  of  the  poorer 
producers  in  lot  2,  but  several  which  did  not  gain  quite  so  well 
were  not  reported  as  off  feed.  This  steer  evidenced  his  poor  char- 
acter by  being  high  in  the  crops,  low  in  the  back,  deficient  in 
heart-girth,  flat  in  fore  ribs  and  lacking  in  elasticity  of  hide. 

No.  34,  reported  as  off  feed  six  times  was  one  of  the  poorest 
producers  in  lot  2  though  two  others  made  slightly  smaller  gains 


1903.]  FEEDS   SUPPLEMENTARY   TO   CORN   FOR   FATTENING   STEERS  573 

per   day.      This   steer  lacks  depth  and  breadth  and   capacity  of 
paunch. 

No.  37,  reported  as  off  feed  seven  times  made  g-ains  somewhat 
above  the  average  in  lot  3.  There  is  nothing-  especial  in  the  notes 
on  this  steer's  conformation  to  show  that  he  might  be  expected  to 
be  a  poor  feeder. 

A  study  of  these  individual  notes  serves  to  emphasize  a  few 
points  of  importance  to  feeders  of  fattening-  cattle. 

The  animal  most  desirable  from  the  butcher's  standpoint  is 
not  necessarily  the  most  desirable  from  the  feeder's  point  of  view. 
It  may  be  too  fine  to  be  hearty  and  vigorous,  and  may  not  have  that 
capacity  of  barrel  which  is  requisite  to  either  larg-e  or  economical 
g-ains  in  live  weight.  Indeed,  the  butcher  desires  a  type  of  animal 
of  more  restricted  capacity  than  that  one  in  which  the  beef  pro- 
ducer finds  greatest  profit  in  feeding  and  his  best  interest  is  also 
favored  by  the  animal  of  most  refined  bone  and  extremities. 

This  refinement  may  be  accompanied  by  a  delicacy  of  habit 
which  renders  the  animal  an  unprofitable  feeder.  In  fact,  among- 
animals  which  are  not  hig-hly  improved  by  careful  selection  the 
fine  individual  is  very  apt  indeed  to  be  the  delicate  one.  Among- 
such  unimproved  animals  the  somewhat  coarse,  growthy  individ- 
ual with  unimpaired  vigor,  strong-  bone  and  a  capacious  paunch  is 
the  more  profitable  type  to  fatten.  A  profitable  feeding-  steer  con- 
forming-to  these  requirements  is,  of  course,  an  old  one.  This  means 
that  some  one  grew  him  either  at  very  low  cost  or  at  very  little 
profit.  While  it  would  be  absurd  to  consider  growing-  such  steers 
from  calf  hood  to  maturity  on  Illinois  land  there  are  circumstances 
under  which  it  seems  profitable  to  fatten  such  steers  in  Illinois,  the 
one  great  point  in  their  favor  being-  their  capacity  to  make  larg-e 
gains  in  a  given  time.  There  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  this  type 
of  animal,  especially  if  well  grown  before  fattening-  begins,  will 
make  larg-er  g-ains  in  live  weight  in  a  given  time  than  finer  and 
younger  animals  of  the  same  breeding-. 

Whether  or  not  these  gains  are  produced  as  economically  as  in 
the  case  of  the  more  refined  type  of  animal  is  a  question,  but  it 
seems  entirely  probable  that  the  matter  of  economy  of  production 
is  more  closely  connected  with  breadth  of  chest  and  capacity  of 
paunch  than  with  coarseness  or  refinement  of  bone  and  extremi- 
ties. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  capacity  in  an  animal  to  make 
larg-e  g-ains  in  live  weig-h  t  in  a  given  time  may  under  certain  con- 
ditions be  of  greater  importance  to  the  producer  than  the  highest 
degree  of  capacity  in  the  animal  to  make  economical  g-ains, 


574  BULLETIN  NO.  83.  [January, 

though,  of  course  highly  improved  beef  animals  posessing  both 
these  characteristics  to  a  marked  degree  are  in  general  much  the 
most  profitable  to  all  concerned  in  their  production,  handling,  and 
consumption. 

In  this  experiment  as  the  animals  were  fed  in  lots  of  twelve 
there  was  no  way  of  determining  which  were  or  were  not  economi- 
cal producers,  but  the  individual  weights  do  show  which  of  the 
animals  were  the  largest  producers. 

While  the  system  of  study  and  record  of  the  characters  of  these 
steers  was  very  crude,  the  notes  do  show  in  a  general  way  that  the 
large  producers  were  the  conspicuously  paunchy  steers,  and  that 
the  poorest  producers  were  those  steers  which  were  lacking  in  ca- 
pacity of  the  barrel. 

It  seems  altogether  likely,  however,  that  there  is  in  the  fat- 
tening beef  animal  a  marked  individuality  in  respect  to  the  econ- 
omy and  perfection  of  its  physiological  activities,  aside  from  that 
which  is  indicated  by  easily  discernable  external  characteristics. 

After  the  slaughter  test  it  was  said  by  Mr.  J.  E.  Maurer  of 
the  Schwarzchild  &  Sulzberger  Co.,  that  lots  1  and  3  were  as  fat  as 
it  is  desirable  to  have  beef  of  this  quality.  Lot  2  was  decidedly 
lacking  in  fat. 

The  steers  as  a  lot  were  criticized  as  being  paunchy.  This 
seems  to  have  been  due  more  to  the  method  of  rearing  than  to  the 
method  of  fattening  these  animals. 

As  to  the  covering  of  the  carcasses  with  fat,  lot  3  was  a  little 
more  completely  and  thickly  covered  than  lot  1,  the  difference  be- 
ing noticeable  on  the  ribs;  but  this  difference  appeared  very  slight, 
not  nearly  so  pronounced  as  would  have  been  supposed  from  the 
appearance  of  the  two  lots  on  foot.  Lot  2  was  not  so  completely 
or  thickly  covered  with  fat  as  lots  1  and  3. 

The  flesh  in  lot  I  proved  to  be  thicker  than  in  lot  3  and  much 
thicker  than  in  lot  2.  The  kidney  fat  in  lot  1  was  also  heavier 
than  in  lots  2  and  3. 

The  color  of  the  carcasses  in  the  three  lots  was  with  the  ex- 
exception  of  one  steer  invariably  excellent.  The  color  of  lot  3  was 
very  slightly  superior  to  that  of  lots  1  and  2. 

In  value  per  pound  lot  1  was  rated  at  10^  cents,  lot  2  at  10 
cents,  and  lot  3  at  10^  cents.  Lot  1  was  rated  above  lot  3  because 
the  carcasses  in  this  lot  were  heavier  and  were  thicker  fleshed,  this 
in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  price  paid  for  lot  3  was  decidedly 
greater  than  that  paid  for  lot  1.  As  the  prices  at  this  time  were 
much  higher  for  heavy  weight  cattle  than  for  lighter  stuff,  lot  1, 
the  heaviest  lot,  was  on  this  account  alone  more  valuable  per 


1903.]  FEEDS   SUPPLEMENTARY   TO   CORN   FOR   FATTENING   STEERS.  575 

pound  than  lots  2  and  3.  It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  this  ad- 
vantage in  weight  of  lot  1  over  lots  2  and  3  was  attained  during 
the  fattening-  period. 

The  desirable  carcasses  in  each  lot  were  the  thick-fleshed  ones, 
some  of  those  acquired  this  thickness  of  flesh  during-  the  fattening 
period,  notably  those  in  lot  1;  some  were  comparatively  thick- 
fleshed  at  the  start. 

Both  the  desirable  and  undesirable  characteristics  of  the  car- 
casses were  quite  g-enerally  noticeable  even  to  a  comparatively 
untrained  eye  not  only  in  the  dressed  beef  and  in  the  fatted  ani- 
mal on  foot,  but  even  in  the  thin  steer  at  the  beginning-  of  the 
fattening  period.  Fortunately  for  the  beef  producer  the  charac- 
teristics which  a  steer  must  possess  in  order  to  make  a  carcass 
which  will  be  satisfactory  to  the  butcher  and  the  consumer  are 
neither  far  to  seek  nor  difficult  to  recognize. 

By  referring  to  Table  5  it  will  be  seen  that  only  two 
steers  in  lot  1  failed  to  make  an  average  daily  gain  of  two  pounds; 
in  lot  2  six  steers  fell  short  of  the  two-pound  per  day  record,  while 
in  lot  3  every  steer  made  gains  of  two  pounds  per  steer  per  day  or 
better. 

CONCLUSIONS. 

1.  This  experiment  indicates  that  corn  may  be  supplemented 
with  clover  hay,    a  nitrogenous  roughage,    in  such  a  way  that  its 
influence  will  be  practically  as  beneficial  as  the   supplementing  of 
corn  with  a  nitrogenous  concentrate  such  as  gluten  meal. 

2.  That  where  clover  hay,  or  some  other  nitrogenous  rough- 
age is  not  available  for  supplementing  the   corn  crop   in  fattening 
steers  a  nitrogenous  concentrate  like  gluten  meal  is  highly  advan- 
tageous. 

3.  That  neither  the  corn  ration  supplemented  by  the  use  of  a 
nitrogenous  roughage  on  the  one  hand   nor  of  a   nitrogenous  con- 
centrate on  the  other  proved  to  be  an  ideal  ration.      It  is  believed 
that  some  judicious  combination  of  the  two  yet  to  be  determined 
will  be  found  more  satisfactory  and  profitable  than  either. 

4.  A  ration  of  corn,  timothy  hay,  and  corn  stover  has  little  to 
recommend  it  for  beef  production.     It  is  not  favorable  for  the  pro- 
duction of  large,  rapid,  or  economical  gains;  nor  is  the  beef  pro- 
duced by  the  use  of  such  a  ration  desirable.     It  required  1.5  pounds 
more  grain  and  .7  pounds  more  roughage  to  produce  each  pound  of 
gain  where  timothy  hay  supplemented  corn  than  where  clover  hay 
was  used. 

5.  The  corn  and  clover  hay   ration  possessed  the  following 


576  BULLETIN  NO.  83.  {January,  1903. 

advantages:  (a)  Available  on  Illinois  farms;  (b)  Produced 
large  gains;  (c)  Considered  either  from  the  standpoint  of  total 
beef  produced  or  the  cost  of  such  beef  it  was  a  large  and  econom- 
ical producer;  (d)  The  beneficial  effects  of  the  clover  hay  in  the 
ration  of  lot  1  appeared  to  extend  to  the  pigs  as  not  only  were 
greater  gains  in  live  weight  of  pigs  made  in  lot  1  than  in  the 
other  lots,  but  also  more  economical  gains. 

6.  This  experiment  emphasizes  the  importance  of  the  rough- 
age part  of  the  ration  for  fattening  steers. 

7.  The  slaughter  test  of  this  experiment  showed  that  the  corn 
and  timothy  hay  ration  had  a  tendency  to  produce  a  high  percen- 
tage of  internal  fat  without  securing  a  relatively  high  percentage 
of  dressed  beef,  thickness  of  flesh  or  covering  of  surface  fat;  all  of 
which  are  very  important  from  the  standpoint  of  a  profitable  ani- 
mal for  the  butcher,  and  hence  its  value  on  the  open  market. 

8.  It  is  impossible  to  determine  whether  the  corn  and  clover 
hay  ration  or  the  corn,  gluten  meal,  timothy  hay,   and  corn  stover 
ration  had  the  greater  tendency  to  produce  lean  beef,  or   flesh  as 
greater  gain  of  the  steers  fed  corn  and  clover  hay  would  naturally 
be  followed  by  thicker  flesh  provided  their  lean  beef  making  ten- 
dencies were  the  same.     It  is  evident,  however,  that  both   the  corn 
and  clover  hay  ration  and  the  corn,  gluten  meal,  timothy  hay,  and 
corn  stover  ration  had  an  advantage  over  the  corn,  timothy  hay, 
and  corn  stover  ration  in  this  respect. 

9.  It  appears  that  the  ration,  where  gluten  meal  is  the  con- 
spicuous nitrogenous  factor,  has  the  ability  to  produce  the  finish 
demanded  by  the  market  with  the  least  expenditure  of  both  quan- 
tity and  cost  of  food-stuffs  of  any  ration  used  in  this  experiment. 
The  fact  that  there  was  more  profit  to  the  producer  in  the  use  of 
the  ration  containing  gluten  meal,  notwithstanding  the  somewhat 
expensive  nitrogenous  concentrate  used,  is  due  to  the  combined  facts 
of  its  being   an  equally  effective  ration  as  corn  and  clover   hay  to 
the  securing  of  better  finish  without  the  necessity  of  putting  on  the 
maximum  amount  of  unprofitable  gains  in  live  weight,   and  to  the 
current  prices  of  corn,  gluten  meal,  and  clover  hay. 

10.  The  value  of  the  manure   made  by  the  steers   in  lot  1 
would  be  much  more  valuable  per  ton  than  that  made  by  either  of 
the  other  lots. 

11.  The  condition  of  the  feed  lots  is  an  important  factor  both 
in  the  extent  and  economy  of  gains. 

12.  In  practice  the  feeder  must  determine  for  himself  the  best 
ration  for  fattening  steers  by  knowing  the  effectiveness  of  various 
rations  and  their  availableness. 


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